A seminar on the Belt and Road Initiative, jointly organized by Afghan foreign ministry and Chinese Embassy in Afghanistan, kicked off in the country's capital Kabul, discussing the opportunity of boosting connectivity and development along the ancient trade route.

Afghan deputy foreign minister Hekmat Karzai stressed that Afghanistan is a strategic hub along this ancient road as it connects the trade and investment through the east and west civilizations.

He said implementing the Belt and Road Initiative in Afghanistan requires the innovative cooperation and strengthens communication of policies, transportation, trade, currencies and public investment.

The deputy foreign minister reiterated that implementing the initiative could also help reduce the conflict in the region and promote peace and prosperity in Afghanistan.

Addressing the seminar, Chinese Ambassador to Afghanistan Yao Jing said the Belt and Road Initiative aims at integrating China and participating countries' development strategies, facilitating trade and investment, boosting growth and bringing peoples and countries closer.

He reiterated that China would like to cooperate with Afghanistan on the implementation of the Belt and Road in various fields, including policy coordination, facilities connectivity, trade, financial integration and people-to-people exchanges.

(Xinhua News Agency May 8, 2016)