BEIJING: China on Thursday applauded the resumption of trade relations and people-to-people exchanges between Pakistan and Afghanistan after the two countries overcame impact of the Covid-19 pandemic.

Pakistan and Afghanistan have recently restored their trade and people-to-people exchange and China applauds that move, Chinese Foreign Ministry’s spokesperson Hua Chunying said at her regular briefing.

Pakistan recently opened five key routes with Afghanistan for bilateral and transit trade to help war-ravaged Afghanistan boost trade.

Pakistan closed all trade routes with Afghanistan in March due to Covid-19 outbreak, but has now reopened Torkham and Chaman borders with Afghanistan for both bilateral trade and the Afghan transit trade.

Published in Dawn, July 17th, 2020