Afghanistan and the Belt and Road Initiative: Strategic Integration for Regional Development
Author: Zhang Yanzhe, Zhang Jian
ISBN: 978-1-84464-825-2
Ebook ISBN: 978-1-84464-826-9Hardback
Pages: 378
Publishing date: 31st March 2025
About the Book:
This book explores the strategic alignment of China's Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) with Afghanistan's geopolitical and economic landscape. This book analyzes Afghanistan's crucial role in the BRI, linking Central, South, and the Middle East Asia, and offers insights into the potential of the BRI to stimulate Afghanistan's growth and development.
Combining theory with practical policy recommendations, it highlights infrastructure, energy cooperation, trade, and cultural exchanges as key avenues for fostering regional integration and stability. This study is an essential resource for understanding the opportunities and challenges of economic development in Afghanistan through the lens of the BRI.
Contents:
Chapter 1 Afghanistan's Geopolitical and Economic Environment
Section 1 Afghanistan's Geographical Location and Strategic Importance
Section 2 Afghanistan's Economic Situation and Development Potential
Section 3 Afghanistan's Economic Recovery Post-Taliban Takeover
Chapter 2 Effectiveness and Limitations of Traditional Aid in Afghanistan
Section 1 Analysis of U.S. Aid to Afghanistan and Its Effectiveness
Section 2 The EU’s Development Assistance to Afghanistan
Section 3 Japan's Development Assistance to Afghanistan Chapter 3 Causes of Traditional Development Aid Failure in Afghanistan
Section 1 Neglect of the economic system and growth drivers Section 2 Ignoring Local Culture and Government
Section 3 American Democracy vs. Afghan Traditions
Section 4 Corruption, Slow Disbursements, and Improper Use of Funds
Section 5 Weak Foundations for Reconstruction in Afghanistan Section 6 Afghanistan's Role as the "Graveyard of Empires" Section 7 Too Many Parallel Institutions
Chapter 4 Evolution of China-Afghanistan Relations11800 Section 1 Establishment of Diplomatic Relations (1949-1966) Section 2 The Tortuous Development of Bilateral Relations (1966-1979)
Section 3 The Soviet Invasion of Afghanistan (1979-1992) Section 4 Afghan Civil War and Nominal Ties (1992-2001) Section 5 After the Afghanistan War (2001-2013)
Section 6 BRI: Deepening Bilateral Relations (2013-Present) Chapter 5 Afghanistan and the BRI: Alignment Opportunities Section 1 Benefits to Afghanistan's Economic Development Section 2 China and Afghanistan's Willingness to Connect Section 3 "China-Afghanistan-Pakistan Corridor" as Key to Participation
Section 4 Atta's Return Brings New BRI-Afghanistan Opportunities
Chapter 6 Current Status of Integration: Afghanistan & BRI Section 1 Cooperation in Infrastructure Construction
Section 2 Trade and Investment Cooperation
Section 3 Energy and Mineral Resources Cooperation Project
Section 4 Agricultural Cooperation
Section 5 China-Afghanistan Cooperation in Water Resources Section 6 People-to-People and Cultural Exchanges and Cooperation
Section 7 Security Cooperation
Chapter 7 Economic Effects of Afghanistan's BRI Alignment Section 1 Determinants of Endogenous Economic Growth Drivers
Section 2 Impact of the BRI on Technological Progress in Afghanistan
Section 3 BRI's Impact on Afghanistan's Human Capital Development
Section 4 BRI's Role in Afghanistan's Capital Accumulation Chapter 8 Challenges and Policy Recommendations: Afghanistan & BRI
Section 1 Existing Problems in Integration
Section 2 Challenges Facing the Docking
Section 3 Effective Docking Policy Recommendations Conclusion
Reference
About the Authors:
Dr. Yanzhe ZHANG: is Professor of Northeast Asian Research Center of Jilin University.
Dr. Jian ZHANG: is Doctor in Economics and Lecturer of International Economics and Politics School at the Liaoning University.
