Afghanistan's New Road to China Blocked at Border

• Afghanistan's new road to China, the Wakhan Corridor, remains closed at the border.
• The Taliban government hopes the road will open new trade routes and reduce reliance on Pakistan.
• Highway 1, or the Ring Road, connects Afghanistan's major cities but has been dangerous since 2001.
• The road has seen extortions, kidnappings, and suicide bombings, especially between Kabul and Kandahar.
• The current status of the road remains uncertain after the US-led war and five years of Taliban rule.