Last updated at: (Beijing Time) Tuesday, March 26, 2002
China's Aid to Afghanistan, Meaningful Move: Official
Planes carrying the first batch of aid materials from China to Afghanistan landed safely at Kabul at midday Monday after a two-hour flight from Kashi Airport in northwest China's Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region.
Planes carrying the first batch of aid materials from China to Afghanistan landed safely at Kabul at midday Monday after a two-hour flight from Kashi Airport in northwest China's Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region.
China said that the aid constituted evidence of long-term friendly ties between China and Afghanistan.
China would provide more assistance to the interim government of Afghanistan to rebuild the country and friendship between the two countries was expected to be further strengthened, said Chai Xi, an official with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
China had much trade and economic cooperation with Afghanistan in peacetime. China had built dykes, hospitals and textile mills in Afghanistan, according to Wang Cheng'an, an official with the Ministry of Foreign Trade and Economic Cooperation.
Wang said that the first batch of aid materials, valued at 30 million yuan, and the following 150 million-US dollar aid project would help Afghanistan to build a peaceful environment and facilitate exchanges between the two sides in various fields.
An official with the Administrative Office of Kashi Prefecture said that a stable and peaceful environment in Afghanistan, which directly borders on Kashi, would greatly promote friendly exchanges and trade cooperation between China and Afghanistan.