Chinese workers have resumed construction on a key highway project in Tajikistan near the border with Afghanistan after a months-long suspension prompted by security concerns, according to Eurasianet.

Officials from Tajikistan’s Ministry of Transport confirmed that work has restarted on a 109-kilometre section of the Dushanbe–Kulma highway.

Construction reportedly resumed in April after authorities assured Beijing that additional security measures would be put in place to protect Chinese personnel involved in the project.

The project had been paused in late 2025 after China advised its citizens to withdraw from border regions following a series of violent incidents.

The advisory followed an attack in November on a road construction crew that left two people dead and two others injured. In a separate incident later that year, three Chinese nationals were also killed.

Tajik authorities initially attributed both attacks to militant groups, though those claims have not been independently verified.

According to the report, Chinese workers currently on site are being protected by Tajik special forces. Tajikistan’s Defence Ministry has also indicated that joint military exercises between Tajik and Chinese forces are expected to take place in September.

The renewed construction and security cooperation come after the signing of a Treaty of Friendship between Tajikistan and China in May, which paved the way for agreements worth around $8 billion involving Chinese entities.

Abdul Salam Hanafi, Deputy Prime Minister for Administrative Affairs, said on Wednesday that no neighboring country can destroy another through conflict, stressing that war only brings losses for all sides and is not a solution to disputes in the 21st century.

Speaking at the opening ceremony of the fifth National and International Industry and Mines Week Exhibition in Kabul, Hanafi urged countries to channel their resources toward development and economic progress rather than conflict.

“If we fight each other, we will spend all our energy destroying one another. Why should we not use our energy in this century for the progress of our nations?” Hanafi said.

Referring to the lessons of the world wars, he said many countries that were once engaged in conflict have since concluded that war is ineffective and have instead embraced cooperation, reconstruction, and development.

Hanafi said the policy of the Islamic Emirate is based on peaceful coexistence with all countries, founded on mutual respect and non-interference in each other’s internal affairs.

He reiterated that, under the Islamic Emirate’s policy, no individual or group is permitted to use Afghan territory to threaten or launch attacks against other countries. Likewise, he said, no country has the right to interfere in Afghanistan’s domestic affairs.

Turning to the economy, Hanafi said the exhibition highlights the continued growth of Afghanistan’s industrial sector despite decades of conflict that have left the country economically vulnerable.

He said the Islamic Emirate is working to reduce the long-term effects of war by expanding trade and strengthening domestic production, with the goal of transforming Afghanistan from an import-dependent economy into an export-oriented one.

According to Hanafi, authorities have introduced around 25 incentives for industrialists across various sectors, including the allocation of industrial land, tax exemptions, and other measures aimed at encouraging investment and boosting production.

He also called on domestic and foreign investors to take advantage of investment opportunities in Afghanistan, particularly in the country’s mining sector and other key industries.

Russia has called on Pakistan and Afghanistan to settle their long-standing differences through dialogue and diplomatic engagement, following recent reports of cross-border violence.

In a statement issued on Tuesday, Russia’s Foreign Ministry referred to what it described as a “tragic episode” involving Pakistani airstrikes in border regions, which have further strained relations between the two neighbours.

The United Nations reported on Monday that at least 28 people were killed in the incidents, although the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan (IEA) has given higher casualty figures.

“The Russian side urges Islamabad and Kabul to end the armed conflict and resolve disputed issues through political and diplomatic means,” Moscow said.

Tensions between the two countries have escalated amid mutual accusations. Pakistan alleges that Afghanistan is harbouring militants responsible for attacks inside its territory, while the IEA rejects the claim, arguing that militancy is an internal issue for Pakistan.

Moscow’s remarks add to growing international calls for restraint and renewed dialogue as violence along the border continues to raise regional concerns.