Regional Stakeholders Press to Open China–Wakhan Trade Corridor

DID Press: Regional analysts say activating the overland corridor connecting China to Afghanistan through the Wakhan Corridor—and linking it to Afghanistan’s national highways—should be treated as a strategic priority and restored through targeted investment. According to experts, the route could reduce transport time to roughly one week, offer comparatively higher security, and significantly lower transit costs.

By contrast, maritime routes remain both expensive and time-consuming. More importantly, they are largely controlled by Western powers and cannot be bypassed due to their central role in global trade and energy transit. For regional countries, analysts argue, developing an independent and complementary overland transport system has become essential.

Experts emphasize that achieving this objective requires genuine development cooperation with Afghanistan. Owing to its unique geopolitical position, Afghanistan serves as a natural land bridge between East and West, and between northern and southern Asia. They argue that regional actors should replace political distrust and anti-Afghanistan approaches with policies based on cooperation, economic partnership, and joint investment.

Afghan officials and economists likewise note that the responsibility within the country is substantial. Ensuring lasting stability, promoting economic growth, reactivating critical infrastructure, and providing practical support to producers and investors are seen as prerequisites for meaningful regional integration. The return of Afghanistan’s human and financial capital from abroad is also described as a strategic necessity for any long-term development plan.

In this context, the contribution of Afghan professionals, engineers, and business leaders living overseas is considered vital. Their return, technical cooperation, and participation in reconstruction efforts could accelerate Afghanistan’s transformation into a regional transit hub.

Analysts conclude that Afghanistan has the potential to move from a peripheral, consumption-driven economy to a more influential actor in regional trade, connectivity, and transport—provided that policies shift from confrontation toward constructive cooperation.

Sayed Ayoub Hussaini — DID Press Agency