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China opens new land cargo route to boost Afghanistan’s economy

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Afghanistan’s desire for regional integration has further improved after the first freight train to traverse a new freight line departed China toward Afghanistan.

The train departed from Lanzhou, capital of northwest China’s Gansu province last week and headed for Hairatan in Afghanistan. The freight train is now making the launch of a new cargo route between the two neighboring countries, where the experts extolled the move and labeled it key for boosting the fragile economy of Afghanistan.

The 3,125km route uses both railways and roads and passes through Kyrgyzstan and Uzbekistan until it reaches the Afghan border town of Hairatan.

State news agency Xinhua reported that the first train to leave Lanzhou was carrying $1.5 million of freight, including car parts, furniture, machinery and equipment from Gansu province and other places.

“We hope to normalize the route for Sino-Afghanistan express service and aim to run four times a month,” Li Wei, a marketing manager from New Land-Sea Corridor Operation Co, one of the main firms involved in the shipment, told Xinhua.

China making efforts to improve Afghanistan’s economy

China has been helping Afghanistan in the last over two decades in different fields and Beijing did not stop its cooperation after the takeover of Afghanistan by the Taliban. In August 15 2021, the US troops hastily withdrew from Afghanistan that resulted in the collapse of the former republic government.

However, the regime change also resulted in a cut in a number of routes into the country and most freight and traffic goes via Pakistan right now. Several embassies suspended its activities and many more closed its doors and froze cooperation with the new government under the Taliban leadership. But few embassies, including the Chinese embassy had remained active in Afghanistan and also intensified business engagement with the new government in Afghanistan aimed at bolstering up its economy.

China also invested in several other projects, including the start of the air corridor by shipping pine nuts from Afghanistan to help boost its economy.

“We expect more from China. These projects are important to improve the economy, but it’s not enough. As our neighbor, we expect more business engagement from China,” an Afghan economic pundit, Jawad Naqashbandi said.

Speaking to Harici he said that Beijing can do much more, and this land route is a good start. “If China really wants to help improve the economy, it needs to invest in the extraction of natural resources of Afghanistan which is estimated around three billion dollars,” he added.

Another investment in medical area 

In another development, a Chinese company named TNA said it will invest $10m in Afghanistan’s pharmaceutical sector.

The National and Drug Authority (AFDS) said that TNA announced its willingness to donate $10 million for the construction of a pharmaceutical factory in Afghanistan.

Mohammad Javid Hazheer, a spokesman for NFDA said that the executive director of TNA during his meeting with the Deputy Minister of Food and Drug Authority has shown interest in investing $10 million in a pharmaceutical factory.

During the meeting, the executive director had asked for land to start the construction of the pharmaceutical factory. He also demanded security during the construction process.

Furthermore, in June another Chinese company named Snow Pharma executed an investment of $50 million in the southern province of Kandahar.

The company will produce tablets, capsules and Syrups in Kandahar and it will have the capacity to create 5.6 million pills, 2 million capsules, and 60,000 bottles of syrup within a single eight-hour shift.

Afghanistan’s Drug Manufacturing Companies Union praised the Chinese company for investing in medical areas, and said the level of medical treatment in the country will improve by producing tablets inside the country.

$300 million invested in pharmaceutical manufacturing sector

There has already been more than $300 million invested in Afghanistan’s pharmaceutical manufacturing sector.

Meanwhile, Afghan Mines and Petroleum Minister, Sheikh Shahabuddin Delawar held a meeting with Turkish investors, in which they expressed readiness to invest in Afghanistan’s mineral resources and assured that the investment and processing of Afghanistan’s minerals will make Afghanistan a challenge.

Thanking the Turkish investors for their interest in Afghanistan’s mines, Delawar had promised to cooperate with them by Afghanistan’s mining laws, according to Bakhtar news agency.

Both sides also discussed the economic and basic programs of these ministries, such as the extraction and management of mineral resources and the production of Afghanistan’s agricultural products.

Boosting connectivity between China and Afghanistan

Indeed, with the new route, trade connectivity between China and Afghanistan will further improve. The train route not only boosts connectivity between Beijing and Kabul but also the Central Asian countries.

The train which departed China on 5th of July will take at least 15 days to reach Hairatan, which is much faster compared to other seas and air routes. This will also cost less.

The second important point is that the new land route with China will also diversify Afghanistan’s export markets and reduce its dependence on Pakistan’s ports. It has been reported that China is Afghanistan’s largest trading partner and source of foreign investment.

China’s launch of the cargo train to Afghanistan comes amid Taliban’s claim of fully maintaining security across the country since the withdrawal of US troops.

Afghanistan is part of BRI

Though China did not recognize the Taliban government, it always stressed that Afghanistan is an important country for its Belt and Road Initiative (BRI), a multi-billion transcontinental infrastructure initiative.

The new land route could also be taken as part of the BRI project.

The Taliban had recently said that China is interested in investing in Afghanistan’s oil and gas industries. Afghanistan is rich in gas and oil and the Taliban expected China to help extract them to improve the economy situation of the country.

In January, the Taliban signed an agreement with a Chinese firm to extract oil from the Amu Darya basin and both sides signed the agreement at a ceremony attended by high-ranking officials from the two countries.

Afghanistan’s acting mines and petroleum minister Shahabuddin Delawar during the signing ceremony held in Kabul said that during the initial three-year period, more than $540 million will be invested in exploration.

China has reportedly invested around $2 billion in Afghanistan after the fall of the previous government, according to the Afghan Ministry of Industry and Commerce.

 

ASIA

Syria will not follow Afghanistan’s Taliban model of governance

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In an astonishing statement, Ahmed Shará, also known as Abu Mohamad Jolani, the leader of the Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS) said that he will allow the girls to go to schools and will not turn Syria like Afghanistan under the rule of the Taliban.

Jolani, the de facto ruler of Syria, said that he will distance himself from the Taliban’s strict policies on women’s rights, and said that Syria will not follow the Taliban’s mode of governance.  

Jolani, who brought down the government of Bashar al-Assad and also widely welcomed by the Taliban, said that he believes in the education of women and girls and will not make Syria like Afghanistan.

“Syria is a diverse society with various ideas, unlike Afghanistan, which is more tribal. The Afghan model cannot be applied here,” Jolani told a BBC reporter.

Jolani says that Syria is a diverse society with various ideas, unlike Afghanistan, which is more tribal.

Jolani’s comment came when the Taliban congratulated the HTS-led victory by Jolani over Assad’s regime after years of fighting. The Afghan Foreign Ministry celebrated Jolani’s victory through a statement and hoped Jolani can bring peace and stability in the country.

“It is hoped that the power transition process is advanced in a manner that lays the foundation of a sovereign and serve-oriented Islamic government in the line with the aspiration of the Syrian people; that unifies the entire population without discrimination and retribution through adoption of a general assembly; and a positive foreign policy with world countries the safeguard Syria from a threat of negative rivalries of foreign actors and creates conditions for the return of millions of refugees,” the statement by Taliban Foreign Ministry.

However, Jolan’s position on the rights of women and girls is in great contrast with the current view of the Taliban leadership. Women and girls have been banned from education and work since the return of the Taliban in August 2021, following the collapse of the Republic System and withdrawal of the US troops from Afghanistan. Girls and women are even banned from medical institutions and visiting public spaces.

Jolani says he has a plan to create a government based institution and a council chosen by the people. 

The situation got worse when the Taliban’s Ministry for the Promotion of Virtue and Prevention of Vice called women’s voices “immodest” compounding their exclusion from public life. This year, it has been marked as three years since girls were banned from pursuing education over sixth grade. Besides that, on December 20, 2022, the Taliban’s Ministry of Higher Education announced that women would be barred from attending public and private universities.    

In an interview with CNN, Jolani said that he has a plan to create a government based on institutions and a “council chosen by the people.”

“When we talk about objectives, the goal of the revolution remains the overthrow of this regime. It is our right to use all available means to achieve that goal,” said Jolani.

“The seeds of the regime’s defeat have always been within it… the Iranians attempted to revive the regime, buying it time, and later the Russians also tried to prop it up. But the truth remains: this regime is dead.”

Moreover, he also said the Syrian people are the “rightful owners” of the country after the ouster of Assad, and declared a “new history” has been written for the entire Middle East.

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Yoon summoned again for questioning on treason charges

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A joint law enforcement team investigating South Korea’s martial law case announced on Friday that it has issued a second summons to ousted President Yoon Suk Yeol, requesting his presence for questioning next week. The inquiry concerns his alleged involvement in the failed implementation of martial law.

The team has scheduled the questioning for 10:00 a.m. next Wednesday at the Corruption Investigation Office for Senior Officials (CIO) headquarters in Gwacheon, located just south of Seoul. This marks the second summons after Yoon refused to cooperate with the initial notice earlier this week.

The decision to hold the questioning on a public holiday appears to be a strategic move by the CIO, likely aimed at addressing security concerns. The office confirmed that the summonses were delivered via express mail and electronically to both Yoon’s residence and the presidential office in Yongsan. Notably, after Yoon’s team refused to accept the first subpoena, the CIO opted against delivering the documents in person for this round.

The investigation focuses on Yoon’s role in the December 3 martial law declaration, which he revoked following a vote in the National Assembly. If Yoon continues to disregard the summons without valid justification, the CIO may seek a court order to detain him for up to 48 hours.

Yoon faces allegations of sedition and abuse of office, charges that have gained traction since his dismissal by parliament last Saturday. His suspension from office remains in effect pending a decision by the Constitutional Court, which will determine whether he is permanently removed or reinstated.

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ASIA

Xi Jinping champions economic diversification during Macau visit

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During a three-day visit to Macau commemorating the 25th anniversary of its return to Chinese sovereignty from Portugal, President Xi Jinping emphasized the importance of economic diversification and maintaining the “one country, two systems” framework.

Speaking at the swearing-in ceremony for Macau’s new Chief Executive Officer, Sam Hou-fai, Xi urged the administration to make economic diversification the city’s primary focus. Sam, the fourth leader since the 1999 handover and the first mainland-born Chinese official to hold the position, is expected to align closely with Beijing’s objectives to reduce Macau’s reliance on gambling. The gambling industry, which accounts for approximately 80% of Macau’s tax revenue, has been the cornerstone of its rapid economic growth in recent years.

“Macau should prioritize proper economic diversification,” Xi stated, calling for enhanced policy support and investment in emerging sectors. He also reiterated the significance of the “one country, two systems” principle, stressing its role in ensuring the city’s “prosperity and stability” for the long term.

Xi’s visit included stops at the Macau University of Science and Technology, where he explored laboratories focusing on traditional Chinese medicine and planetary science. He also attended a cultural performance at the Macau Dome and met with local stakeholders, according to Chinese state media. His trip marked a shift in tone, with Anthony Lawrence, founder of Intelligence Macau, noting that it was the first time Xi publicly praised Macau for its progress rather than delivering critiques or instructions.

Since the liberalization of Macau’s gaming monopoly in 2002, the city has attracted significant foreign investment, including from prominent US casino operators such as Las Vegas Sands, MGM, and Wynn Resorts. However, the economy struggled during the COVID-19 pandemic due to travel restrictions, and recovery has only recently begun.

On Friday, Macau’s casinos were bustling with visitors, while non-gaming initiatives like a stamp exhibition co-organized by MGM China and Beijing’s Palace Museum showcased the city’s efforts to diversify its offerings.

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