China Explores Wakhan Corridor with Afghanistan Amid Rising Pakistan Risks

• China and Afghanistan are discussing activating the Wakhan Corridor, allowing Beijing to bypass Pakistan due to security concerns.
• China is reassessing its reliance on Pakistan for BRI projects due to deteriorating law-and-order and risks to Chinese citizens.
• Rising militant attacks in Pakistan have prompted China to seek alternative trade routes, with reports of a slow withdrawal from some Pakistan operations.
• Afghanistan proposed a direct land route through the Wakhan Corridor during a meeting between Ambassador Bilal Karimi and Chinese officials in Beijing.
• The Wakhan Corridor, a narrow strip in Afghanistan's Badakhshan province, offers a direct land link to China's Xinjiang region, reducing dependence on Pakistan.