Chinese company seeks railway revival to invest in Afghan marble sector

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A delegation from Qin Gen Industrial Company of China, headed by deputy general manager Li Yingjun, met officials from the Afghan Chamber of Commerce and Industries (ACCI) and local businessmen and emphasized joint efforts to enhance cooperation in infrastructure including railway connectivity and trade under the Belt and Road Initiative.

Expressing interest in investment in Afghan minerals extraction, Li said the company wants to invest in marble.

The machines used to extract and cut the marble are outdated in Afghan. /Afghanistantoday.org Photo

"The two countries' leaders have agreed on mining of up to 42 types of Afghan marble, quality production and export to China," Li said.

However, he emphasized boosting railway connectivity between Afghanistan and China to accelerate trade and economic relations between the two countries.

The first-ever cargo train from China arrived in Afghanistan's northern border town Hairatan in September 2016, after crossing several central Asian states and the initiative has been widely welcomed by Afghans as a step towards China-Afghanistan railway connectivity.

The first cargo train from China's Nantong to Afghanistan's northern border town Hairatan /Xinhua Photo

But the cargo train initiative has reportedly been put on hold due to problems including high transit taxes in Uzbekistan and Kazakhstan as well as in Hairatan.

Mohammad Zia Azizi, director of the international relations section of the ACCI, said the problems would be addressed in the next meeting of the three countries' authorities.

To enhance railway connectivity and boost bilateral trade, China and Afghanistan signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) in Beijing in June.

Afghan Morvarid Stone Mining Company /Afghanistantoday.org Photo

"Afghan President Mohammad Ashraf Ghani has asked China for quality extraction of his country's 42 types of the world second and third-grade marbles and their export to China. We wanted to speak about ways to develop it through a joint Afghan-China dialogue," Li added.

According to the ACCI, there are 63 marble factories in Afghanistan, producing and processing between 100 and 1,000 tons each month, with roughly six colors.

"More than 20 Chinese companies are ready to join us in investment for extraction and international standard production of the world's second and third-grade Afghan marbles," said the Chinese businessman.

4186km

Source(s): Xinhua News Agency