Afghanistan–China border explained

The Afghanistan–China border is a 92adj=midNaNadj=mid[1] boundary between Afghanistan and China, beginning at the tripoint of both countries with the Pakistan's federally administered territory of Gilgit-Baltistan, following the watershed along the Mustagh Range, and ending at the tripoint with Tajikistan. This short border is in the far northeast of Afghanistan, distant from much of the country or urban areas in either country, at the end of the long, narrow Wakhan Corridor. The Chinese side of the border is in the Chalachigu Valley. The border is crossed by several mountain passes, including Wakhjir Pass in the south and Tegermansu Pass in the north.

Both sides of the border are protected areas: Wakhan National Park in Wakhan District, Badakhshan Province on the Afghan side and Taxkorgan Nature Reserve in Taxkorgan Tajik Autonomous County, Kashgar Prefecture, Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region on the Chinese side.

The border marks the greatest terrestrial time zone difference on Earth, with a 3.5 hour difference between Afghanistan's UTC+4:30 and China's UTC+08:00.[2]

History

The border area was a thoroughfare on the Silk Road. It is believed that the famous Chinese Buddhist pilgrim Xuanzang traveled this pass on his return trip back to China around 649 AD.[3]

The border was established between Afghanistan and China in an agreement between the British and the Russians in 1895 as part of the Great Game, although the Chinese and Afghans did not finally agree on the border until 1963.[4] The Kingdom of Afghanistan and the People's Republic of China demarcated their border in 1963.[5] [6]

It is believed that in more recent times, the main pass, Wakhjir Pass, is sometimes used as a low intensity drug smuggling route, and is used to transport opium made in Afghanistan to China.[7] In the 2000s, Afghanistan has asked China on several occasions to open the border in the Wakhan Corridor for economic reasons or as an alternative supply route for fighting the Taliban insurgency. However, China has resisted, largely due to unrest in its far western province of Xinjiang, which borders the corridor.[8] [9], it was reported that the United States had asked China to open the corridor.

There have been proposals and plans by Kashgar regional government to open Tegermansu Pass as a port of entry for economic purposes since the 1990s.[10] [11] However, this has yet to happen.

Geography

Article 1 of the Boundary Treaty of 1963 describes the Afghanistan–China border, starting from the southern end:

The border's northern terminus is found at the Afghanistan-China-Tajikistan tripoint on Povalo-Shveikovskogo Peak[12] [13] / Kokrash Kol Peak (Kekelaqukaole Peak;),[1] [14] the easternmost point of Afghanistan.

Border crossings

Historically, the main crossing between the two sides was Wakhjir Pass. Wakhjir Pass has been in use for at least a millennium since the Silk Road. In addition to Wakhjir Pass, there is also Tegermansu Pass which is located on the far eastern end from Little Pamir.

The passes are closed as Chalachigu Valley, the valley on the Chinese side, is closed to visitors; however, local residents and herders from the area are permitted to access.

Historical maps and gallery

Historical English-language maps of the Afghanistan–China border, mid to late 20th century:

See also

Further reading

Notes and References

  1. Web site: The Afghanistan - China Boundary Settlement . Thomas L. Hughes . Bureau of Intelligence and Research. CIA. 14 January 1964. 10 September 2021 . 1, 4 . The new boundary, 57 miles long,and reaches Peak Kokrash Kol (called Peak Povalo Shveikovski on the Afghan map) with a height of 5,698 meters..
  2. Web site: Afghanistan shares a tiny 46-mile border with China — here's the intriguing story of how the 2 countries became neighbors. Bill Bostock. Insider Inc.. CIA. 27 June 2019.
  3. Stein. M. Aurel. Aurel Stein. Exploration in Chinese Turkestan. United States Congressional Serial Set. 748. 752. Smithsonian Institution. Washington, D.C.. 1903-06-30. 2017-02-03.
  4. Web site: International Boundary Study - Afghanistan – China Boundary. Office of the Geographer. 1969-05-01. 2017-02-03. Bureau of Intelligence and Research. https://web.archive.org/web/20150103225351/http://www.law.fsu.edu/library/collection/limitsinseas/IBS089.pdf. 2015-01-03. The Afghanistan–China boundary agreement, signed on November 22, 1963, was the fifth of these boundaries treaties initiated by the Chinese communists. .
  5. 中华人民共和国和阿富汗王国边界条约 . Afghanistan-China Border Agreement . zh . 1963-11-22.
  6. Web site: http://www.npc.gov.cn/wxzl/gongbao/2000-12/16/content_5000869.htm. zh:全国人民代表大会常务委员会关于签订中华人民共和国和阿富汗王国边界条约的决议. zh-hans. National People's Congress. 12 January 2020. https://web.archive.org/web/20131017033555/http://www.npc.gov.cn/wxzl/gongbao/2000-12/16/content_5000869.htm. 17 October 2013. live.
  7. Web site: Afghanistan border crossings. Caravanistan. 2017-02-03. It is mostly used as a low-intensity drug-smuggling corridor to bring opium to China during the summer..
  8. http://www.hindu.com/thehindu/holnus/003200906111512.htm Afghanistan tells China to open Wakhan corridor route
  9. http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/south_asia/8097933.stm China mulls Afghan border request
  10. Web site: 新疆对外开放口岸一览表. china.com.cn. 23 December 2019. zh. 国别:阿富汗 口岸名称:托克满苏 开放时间:未定 说明:规划开放口岸（98年） Country: Afghanistan, Name of port: Tegermansu, Opening date: Undecided, Notes: Planning to open the port (1998).
  11. Web site: 喀什地区国民经济和社会发展第十三个五年. Kashgar Regional Economic and Social Development 13th Five-Year Plan (2016-2020). 喀什地区发展和改革委员会 (Kashgar Region Development and Reform Committee). 2016-03-17. 23 December 2019. 推进新建中国-阿富汗托克满苏陆路口岸、中国-巴基斯坦铁路口岸、中国-塔吉克斯坦铁路口岸。改善现有口岸通关条件。. 2019-10-22. https://web.archive.org/web/20191022230313/http://www.kashi.gov.cn/UploadFiles/Article/2016/3/201603171017559267.doc. dead.
  12. Book: Historical Dictionary of Tajikistan. Kamoludin Abdullaev. 3. Rowman & Littlefield. 2018. 9781538102527. 92. CHINA-TAJIK BORDER.This mountainous boundary runs along the Sarikol mountain range in eastern Tajikistan, reaching in Pamir the Afghan border at the Povalo-Shveikovskogo peak (5,543 meters above sea level).. Google Books.
  13. Web site: Washington, D. C.. NJ 43 Su-fu [U.S.S.R., China, Afghanistan, Pakistan, State of Jammu and Kashmir] Series 1301, Edition 5-AMS]. en. March 1967. Perry–Castañeda Library Map Collection. Army Map Service. Pik Povalo-Shveikovskogo.
  14. Web site: China Report Political, Sociological and Military Affairs No. 363. https://web.archive.org/web/20200111103014/https://apps.dtic.mil/dtic/tr/fulltext/u2/a356057.pdf. live. January 11, 2020. 18 November 1982. 11 January 2020. 1. United States Joint Publications Research Service. Defense Technical Information Center. If we open up the Atlas of the People's Republic of China we will find that the region of the Pamir, the western extremity of Xinjiang, from the Wuzibieli [Uzbel] Pass1 to the south down to the Kekelaqukaole Peak (which the Soviet Russians call "Pavel Shveikovsky Peak") is designated as a not limited area..

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