China: Freight train carrying food, winter supplies departs for Afghanistan

China has shipped more than 1000 tonnes of food, clothing, and blankets to Afghanistan, according to a statement by China's ambassador to Afghanistan, Wang Yu. As per the reports of TOLO News, he stated that a train carrying over 1,000 tonnes of humanitarian aid has left China's Xinjiang province. He further stated that milk tea powder, cotton-padded clothing, cotton shoes, and blankets are among the items that are shipped.

Wang Yu also stated that China-Afghanistan trains have transported over 2,600 tonnes of humanitarian aid to Afghanistan since July 2021, according to TOLO News. The freight train carrying over 1,000 tonnes of humanitarian goods left Urumqi West Railway Station in northwest China's Xinjiang region on November 20 and is scheduled to arrive in Mazar-e-Sharif, Afghanistan, in 12 days, according to Chinese officials. Yu shared an image on Twitter announcing the news.

Xinjiang Railway Department, customs and freight forwarders collaborated

The Xinjiang Railway Department, customs and freight forwarders collaborated to create green lanes to ensure that commodities move smoothly through the transportation process, reducing customs clearance time. Pang Hongtao, deputy general manager of China Railway Urumqi Group Co. Ltd.'s Urumqi Freight Center, according to CGTN stated that they prepared two reach stackers and employed sufficient employees to ensure that all loading can be completed within three hours.

Afghanistan is still suffering from severe humanitarian catastrophe as well as economic problems. Wang Yu stated that China declared that it will send Afghanistan with 200 million yuan in humanitarian help, with the first shipment arriving in Kabul. Aside from humanitarian aid, China has established an "air corridor" for agricultural trade with Afghanistan, which Zhu Yongbiao, director of the Center for Afghanistan Studies in Lanzhou University claims will boost Afghan farmers' income and promote economic mobility in the country, hence encouraging domestic economic development, according to Global News.

China receives 10 aircraft of Afghan pine nuts after Taliban's rise to power

The first batch of Afghan pine nuts landed at Shanghai's Pudong Airport on November 1, the second batch of more than 40 tonnes of pine nuts was transported to Shanghai via the "air corridor," according to Global Times. On Sunday, Wang tweeted that ten aircraft had carried Afghan pine nuts to China so far, with dry fruits being the next priority. The Chinese envoy stated that China will continue to open up and share its development possibilities with Afghanistan and the rest of the world.

(Image: Twitter/@ChinaEmbKabul)