Afghanistan’s acting Commerce Minister Haji Nooruddin Azizi announced today that Kabul is planning to formally join China’s Belt and Road Initiative. “We requested China to allow us to be a part of the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor and Belt and Road Initiative ... (and) are discussing technical issues today.”
Azizi gave an interview to Reuters today after the Belt and Road Forum Oct. 17-18 ended in Beijing. He said that they will send a technical team to follow up on the present discussions. “China, which invests all over the world, should also invest in Afghanistan ... we have everything they need, such as lithium, copper and iron,” Azizi said. “Afghanistan is now, more than ever, ready for investment.” China’s metallurgical industry has big plans for a massive copper mining project.
