An Islamic Emirate delegation led by Noorudin Azizi, the acting Minister of Trade and Industry, arrived in China on Tuesday (Mizan 25th) to participate in the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) forum happening on October 17-18.

A spokesperson of the Ministry of Trade and Industry said that the delegation is planning to meet with Chinese industrialists, traders, and investors on the sidelines of the BRI forum.

“The Belt and Road Initiative is an economic-commercial project in which Afghanistan can play a key role in the shortest way to countries of Middle East, Europe, and the Gulf. The acting minister of Trade and Industry will also talk about the Wakhan corridor while participating in the summit,” said Akhundzada Abdul Salaam Jawad, spokesman at the Ministry of Trade and Industry.

Meanwhile, the acting minister of the Ministry of Borders and Tribal Affairs, in an interview with state-run RTA, said that he was optimistic about the opening of the "Silk Road" between Afghanistan and China.

“The Silk Road is a transit door and is of great importance, we will have great achievements in both economic and political sections there,” Said Noorullah Noori, the acting Minister of the Ministry of Borders and Tribal Affairs.

Analysts said that the geography of Afghanistan was crucial in extending China’s Belt and Road Initiative for connectivity and transit development among regional countries.

“The presence of Afghanistan in the summit is big opportunity which has to be taken advantage of, we need to have relations with the entire world and use our interaction with the world in developing our economy and trade,” Said Azraksh Hafizi, economic analyst.

“The geographic location and natural resources of Afghanistan will give the country the opportunity to play a key role in the Belt and Road Initiative,” said Siar Quraishi, economic analyst.

It comes as The Nation, a Pakistani biweekly magazine, has reported that the participation of the Islamic Emirate in the BRI summit was a significant in the evolution of international diplomacy.