KUNMING, (Outlook) – Afghan and Chinese leaders called for economic cooperation, common prosperity and people-to-people exchanges in the opening ceremony of the fifth China-South Asia (CSA) Expo in Kunming, capital of Southwest China’s Yunnan province, in 14 June as Afghanistan attended as a theme country.
Afghan high-profile officials, including the second deputy Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Haji Muhammad Mohaqiq, represented Afghanistan in this week-long expo, besides which 25th China Kunming Import and Export Fair and 1st China-South Asia Cooperation Forum were being run simultaneously.
Speaking in the inauguration ceremony, Mohaqiq said that since 2001, Afghanistan had remarkable achievements in terms of trade and private sectors and it could play as a connecting bridge between countries due to its important geopolitics. He added that Afghanistan was among the first countries which signed agreement with China in support of the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI).
Meanwhile, the second deputy CEO said that “international terrorism and insecurity are a great setback for progress and development and Afghanistan sustained the largest sacrifice in this regard”. He added that if terrorism and instability in Afghanistan could impact the world, peace and stability in Afghanistan would also affect the peace and stability in the region. He urged that all countries need to play their positive role in consolidating regional peace and stability.
Mohaqiq also praised China’s role in investing in Afghanistan saying that “China is the largest foreign investor in Afghanistan” and played a remarkable role within the past sixteen years.
Chinese officials stressed the need for common prosperity and trade, win-win cooperation, mutual trust and people-to-people exchanges. Mme. Gao Yan, China’s deputy minister of commerce said that China and South Asia share a long history and need to pursue common development. Yan said that South Asian countries are active participants in BRI, as more than 80 countries signed Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with China, and active trade partners of China.
Similarly, Hu Chunhua Chinese vice Premier said in the opening ceremony of expo that China and South Asia countries are close neighbors and they are most dynamic in economic market. He also urged for further enhancement of economic and trade cooperation, deepening people-to-people exchanges and creating more platform for exchanges. He said that this year marks the 40th anniversary of China’s reform and opening-up and China will open its door wider to the outsider world and this door will never shut down, quoting President Xi.
More than 3,800 companies from 86 countries and regions attended the expo, with over 40 percent attending enterprises from overseas.
Besides many exhibition halls, exhibition zones were also established specifically for Afghanistan, the theme country. In addition to showcasing the cultural monuments and tradition, Afghan exhibition zone featured the products such as saffron, carpet, dried fruit, etc.
Afghan traders and businessmen also featured the products of Afghanistan in the exhibition halls. Haji Sayed Bilal, the head of New Heri Farooqi LTD, who exhibited Afghan carpet in the expo said to Outlook Afghanistan Newspaper that he will display the products in all “international exhibitions” being held in China. Answering to the question that what challenges Afghan traders face in exporting products to China, Bilal said that since there is no land route from Afghanistan to China, the cost of export is too high.  
Although the railway line between China and Afghanistan was inaugurated on 7 September 2016 and the first cargo train from China arrived at Hairatan port of northern Balkh province after about two weeks of journey, Bilal said that goods were only allowed to be imported not exported through the port on the railroad. He said, “If it [China-Afghan railroad] opens, it will be very beneficial for us. We pay 2 to 3 US dollars per kg for carrying the goods. This is a very high cost”.
According to Bilal, Afghan traders export their goods from Kabul to Urumqi through the air and if Afghan traders were allowed to export their goods through Afghan-China railroad, it would be cheaper. He did not seem satisfied enough saying that on the one hand, there are not foreign traders in Afghanistan to buy the goods, on the other hand the market for those products are not good. “We have to put the products of our country on display to support Afghan craftsmen and keep the name of our country high,” said Bilal.
Moreover, one of the Afghan exhibitors and businessmen Ahmad Shadab Mahshar, who exhibited leather and wool coats, lapis lazuli, and silverware in the expo, said to Outlook Afghanistan that the market has declined compared to previous years. Shadab, who is doing business in China for three years, hoped that the CSA expo would be effective for trade market and provide opportunity for the investment and trade of Asia mainly South Asian countries, including Afghanistan which is the theme country. He also shipped his cargo by air through Urumqi to Shanghai and Beijing saying that since there is no direct China-Afghan railroad, it will take long time to ship the goods by railroad connecting China and Afghanistan through Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan. (Outlook Afghanistan)