Kabul – The trade between China and Afghanistan has hit a mark of $541 million in the first seven months of the ongoing year, with the demand for several Chinese goods by Afghanistan.
According to statistics provided by the Ministry of Industry and Commerce of Afghanistan, the imports to Afghanistan are largely dominated by Chinese imports, which reflects a high level of imbalance in bilateral economic relations.
A spokesman of the Ministry of Industry and Commerce, Akhundzada Abdul Salam Jawad, told the media that Afghanistan exports to China were only 14 million out of the total, and imports into Afghanistan were 527 million.
The major imports in China consist of various consumer and industrial products, which are vital to the Afghan market. These include cotton textiles, solar panels, other electronic devices and a great number of mobile phones.
On the other hand, the major exports of Afghanistan to China are natural resources and agricultural products, including black pine nuts, dried apricots, and precious and semi-precious stones.
According to an expert on economic affairs, Mir Shakir Yaqubi, noted, “Cooperation with China could be a very important and suitable economic and trade option for Afghanistan and even serve as an alternative to other countries that have imposed sanctions on Afghanistan.”
The growing volume of trade, the interest of Chinese in investing in the infrastructure and mining industry of Afghanistan, tend to indicate that China is also becoming a more prominent economic partner of the country.
According to the Afghanistan Chamber of Commerce and Investment, China has been described as a strategic partner, and Chinese investment can play a significant role in the economic growth and development of Afghanistan.
This is not only a trade relationship, but Chinese firms are also already engaged in several other big projects, such as contracts in the extraction of oil, gold, and copper worth over one billion dollars in these projects alone.
