[The China-Pakistan Economic Corridor will be extended to Afghanistan] Recently, the Chinese Foreign Minister and the Pakistani Foreign Minister met in Islamabad, the capital of Pakistan. During the conversation, China and Pakistan jointly issued a statement that the Belt and Road Initiative and the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor will be extended to Afghanistan. Prior to this, the Taliban in Afghanistan had already made such applications when they met with senior officials from both China and Pakistan. According to previous assessments, once the Belt and Road Initiative and the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor are settled in Afghanistan, billions of dollars in infrastructure funds will be brought in, especially the construction and improvement of Afghanistan’s railway network and highway system, which will be greatly relieved. At the same time, once the infrastructure project is confirmed, it is very likely that Chinese companies will undertake the construction, which can increase many jobs for local Afghans. Editor / Zhao E

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• 2026.03.18 17:16
• [Spain advances research on the Strait of Gibraltar tunnel]
• The Spanish Ministry of Transport and Sustainable Transport has approved 1.73 million euros for conducting technical research on the Secegsa railway tunnel crossing the Strait of Gibraltar to Morocco. Previous research by German company Herrenknecht has confirmed that a 65 kilometer long tunnel is technically feasible, but due to significant geological challenges such as flying sand structures, seabed depth, and instability, the possibility of completion before the 2030 World Cup has been ruled out. The actual construction period is expected to be between 2035 and 2040.Editor/Cheng Liting

• 2026.03.18 17:10
• [Fujairah oil port attacked by drones again]
• On the morning of March 17, 2026, the Fujairah oil industry zone was attacked by drones and caught fire again. The civil defense department is making every effort to control the fire, and there are currently no casualties. This is the fifth attack on the area since early March, driven by Iran's ongoing attacks on energy facilities in the United Arab Emirates. Fujairah holds a strategic position in the Strait of Hormuz, and the conflict has caused about one-fifth of the world's oil and gas supply to be blocked. Brent crude oil broke through $100 on March 9th and remained at $103.87 as of the 17th. As a key global storage and transportation hub, giants such as Abu Dhabi National Oil Company, Saudi Aramco, Shell, and Vopak operate terminals and pipelines here, responsible for core businesses such as Murban crude oil. Geopolitical risks are seriously threatening the security of the global energy supply chain.Editor/Cheng Liting