Abdul Latif Mansour, the acting Minister of Energy and Water, attended the Third Ministers' Meeting of countries involved in the "One Belt, One Road" project, emphasizing that this initiative will expand trade and energy exports between Afghanistan and China.

During this meeting, Mansour also spoke about investing in Afghanistan’s energy sector and the significance of the Wakhan Corridor.

Matiullah Abid, spokesperson for the Ministry of Energy and Water, told TOLOnews about Mansour's remarks: "In part of his speech, Mansour emphasized that through its active role in major regional projects like 'One Belt, One Road,' Afghanistan expresses its commitment to peace, stability, and economic growth in the region."

Several economic experts also view Afghanistan's inclusion in this project as crucial for the country’s economic growth and trade development.

Abdul Naseer Rashtia, an economic expert, said: "The 'One Belt, One Road' project positions Afghanistan as a strong transit hub and will lead to the expansion of transportation networks, railways, and roads. This project can also help Afghanistan escape dependency on a few countries."

Shaker Yaqubi, another economic expert, added: "The more we connect to international routes, the more we will emerge from isolation, which can strengthen Afghanistan's strategic economic ties with the countries involved in this project."

The "Belt and Road" initiative, or New Silk Road, was introduced in 2013 by the Chinese president, inspired by the ancient Silk Road, with a planned $1.3 trillion investment from China for building thousands of kilometers of roads, railways, and air and water routes.