Recently, China and Tajikistan signed a document to assist in the construction of a 90 kilometer road on the Pamir Plateau. China will provide funding to help Tajikistan expand and renovate the road, connecting one end to Murgabu and the other end to the Kurma Port. The plan is to start construction in 2027. On October 4, 2026, the 121 kilometer Wakhan Corridor Highway in Afghanistan was just opened, with both roads adjacent to the Chinese border.

A road gets stuck in the throat of two ports

This road lies on the Pamir Plateau, which is over 4000 meters high. Crossing the Kurma Pass to the east, you will arrive at the Karasu Port in Ta County, Xinjiang, with an altitude of 4365 meters. It is the only officially registered land port on the China Tajikistan border, and is relied upon for the exchange of goods and personnel between the two countries. According to Tafang Data, in the first quarter of 2026, there were over 1500 trucks and over 3300 small cars entering the tower in one direction. High altitude road construction is most afraid of frozen soil, snow, and falling rocks. If the road conditions are poor, cross-border freight transportation will be directly affected. Many people only consider how much money was spent on road repairs, without taking into account the hidden losses caused by damaged roads. The bumpy roads lead to skyrocketing fuel consumption, increased vehicle damage, and increased driver risks, all of which are ultimately added to the price of goods. A port is like a water pipe, and if the outlet is narrow, the flow cannot go up. What we are doing for these 90 kilometers is to widen the outlet.

Is this money worth spending on someone else's territory

This road didn't suddenly emerge. On July 5, 2024, China Tajikistan relations were upgraded, and the joint statement mentioned promoting the modernization of Karasu Port and the construction of this highway. On September 28, 2026, the President of Tajikistan mentioned the renovation of the 90 kilometer stretch from Murgabu to Kurma, and arranged a total of 22 million US dollars for the restoration project from Kurma to Karasu Port, with plans to start construction in 2027. China's grant aid for 90 kilometers has been clarified, but the amount has not been disclosed. By 2025, the trade volume between China and Tajikistan will reach nearly 2.9 billion US dollars, a year-on-year increase of 46%. Trade is running fast and we need to keep up with the times. Helping Tafang build roads is not short-sighted. Residents in mountainous areas can travel conveniently, transportation obstacles for goods are reduced, and China has obtained smoother port connections. The project is still in its early stages, and the drainage of frozen soil slopes is a challenge. The real test is whether it can maintain long-term traffic capacity. Keywords: Pamir Plateau, Highway, Karasu Port

Once the road is repaired, business may not necessarily be smooth

On October 4, 2026, the 121 kilometer Wakhan Corridor Highway in Afghanistan was opened to traffic, which is a significant news. Soft connectivity is more difficult than hard connectivity, as repairing to the border does not necessarily mean being able to do business. Customs facilities, clearance systems, and inspection and quarantine all need to be matched. There has long been a mature mechanism between China and Tajikistan, and even the formal commercial port in the direction of Wakhan has not been opened. The biggest obstacle is the lack of rules. Security is also a hard indicator, and the United Nations assessment still focuses on the risks of terrorist activities in Afghanistan. China and Tajikistan have security coordination within the framework of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization. Improving the existing channels between China and Tajikistan does not mean abandoning Afghanistan. The 2024 joint statement has already mentioned the construction of the China Tajikistan Afghanistan transportation corridor. The Pamir, which is 90 kilometers long, is not large in scale, but it is connected to the ports in use. Road construction costs money in front of the eyes, leaving long-term transportation capacity. A stable passage for sports cars carries more weight than drawing a line on a map.Editor/Min Jing