Kazakhstan and China discuss cooperation on Trans-Afghan Corridor and regional infrastructure projects

Kazakhstan Temir Zholy (KTZ), the national railway company, and China's largest construction corporation China Communications Construction Company (CCCC) have discussed prospects for cooperation on the development of the Trans-Afghan transport corridor, as reported by Rail-news.kz.

Last April, Kazakhstan expressed its willingness to take part in the development of the Trans-Afghan transport corridor, which includes the construction of the Termez–Mazar-i-Sharif–Kabul–Peshawar and Herat–Kandahar–Spin Boldak railway routes. This railway will run from the western border of Turkmenistan through Afghanistan to Pakistan and further to India.

The country is set to supply materials for the tracks, including crossties and fasteners. The Kazakhstani cabinet claims that the corridor connecting Central and South Asia will boost delivery time between the nations of the regions tenfold.

CCCC is one of the world's largest construction enterprises, ranking 63rd on the Fortune Global 500, with annual revenue totaling $130 billion. The corporation is involved in many big infrastructure projects all around the world, including transport corridors and port facilities.

During the negotiations, the construction of an infrastructure project at the Georgian port of Anaklia and prospects for expanding cooperation in the logistics sector were also discussed. Additionally, China Communications Construction Company is involved in other projects in Kazakhstan, such as the construction of a pumped-storage hydropower plant, with an agreement reached in July 2024.

Meanwhile, another Chinese company, Zhejiang Communications Construction Group, signed a contract with the Ministry of Transport of Tajikistan for the construction of the longest bridge in Central Asia. The project is valued at about $59.8 million. The 1,500-meter-long bridge will be built in the Nurabad district as part of the third phase of the Obigarm-Nurobod road construction.

The new bridge will serve as an alternative to the existing route, which will be flooded during the construction of the Rogun Hydroelectric Power Station, and will connect the banks of the Surkhab River. This project is part of Tajikistan's strategy to transform the country into a key transit hub in the region.

It is reported that construction of the bridge will begin soon, and the Chinese contractor plans to complete it within four years. The bridge is being built under the directive of Tajikistan's President Emomali Rahmon, who emphasizes the strategic importance of this project for the country's economy.

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