China to Fully Fund Border Facilities for Tajikistan Along Afghan Border

Tajik officials announced that China will fully fund the construction of border facilities along the Tajikistan-Afghanistan border to strengthen security and enhance the technical capabilities of Tajik border forces.

Muradali Rajabzade, deputy head of Tajikistan's State Committee for National Security and commander of border forces, told parliament that the project aims to boost logistical and technical capabilities. The facilities will cover about 17,000 square meters and will be implemented in three phases, with China providing the funding as a grant. China will handle technical studies, design, equipment supply, construction materials, and deployment of specialists. It will also provide administrative and residential equipment, computers, and other operational needs. Infrastructure development, including roads connecting to the border, water supply, sewage systems, and electricity networks, is included.

Afghanistan International reported the project cost at approximately 57.425 million USD. Amu TV, citing Uzbek media outlet Pewal Yuz, said Tajik parliament approved the deal for nine complexes costing over 424 million Chinese yuan, equivalent to about 63.7 million USD, with documents for the second phase already signed.

Behraddin Ziyoev, a member of Tajikistan's parliamentary defense and security committee, said China is responsible for the full execution. This follows 12 similar facilities built with Chinese funding in 2017 and 2018 during the first phase of cooperation.

Tajik officials have denied international reports, such as a 2024 Telegraph article citing satellite images of a secret Chinese military base in Tajik mountains where joint exercises occur. China and Tajikistan signed a 2016 security agreement to counter regional threats. The border remains insecure, with recent cross-border attacks from Afghanistan killing Chinese citizens working on mining projects in Tajikistan's Khatlon and Badakhshan provinces.