China reaffirms support for Afghan peace process, reconstruction

Afghan President Ashraf Ghani (R, Rear) meets with Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi (2nd L, Rear) in Kabul, capital of Afghanistan, on June 24, 2017. (Xinhua/Dai He)

KABUL, June 24 -- Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi on Saturday reaffirmed China's consistent support for Afghanistan's efforts in national reconciliation and economic reconstruction.

Wang made the remarks at a meeting with Afghan President Ashraf Ghani here. He pledged that China will continue to play a constructive role in Afghanistan's peace and national reconciliation process.

Ghani said the Afghan government has always been determined to achieve peace through negotiations and has never wavered even during the most difficult times.

The president said Afghan people has always regarded China as a good neighbor and a good partner in safeguarding regional peace, security and prosperity. Located on an important juncture along the routes of the Belt and Road Initiative as well as on the China-PakistanEconomic Corridor, Afghanistan wishes to strength cooperation with China in economy, trade, investment, electricity, transportation and other areas.

He vowed to continue to crack down on the "East Turkistan Islamic Movement" terrorist forces to ensure security of both countries. He also reiterated willingness to improve relations with neighboring Pakistan.

Wang said China hopes that Afghanistan would play greater role in enhancing regional economic integration as well as interconnection and intercommunication. China is willing to expand pragmatic cooperation with Afghanistan under the framework of the Belt and Road Initiative.

Wang said Afghanistan and Pakistan are neighboring countries with close historical and cultural connections, and the Chinese side sincerely hopes that the two countries can improve bilateral relations, rebuild mutual trust, strengthen cooperation so as to achieve common security and development.

As a common friend for both Afghanistan and Pakistan, China encourages the two nations to establish crisis prevention and control mechanisms in a timely manner and properly deal with various kinds of emergencies, Wang said. He added that China supports the setting up of a trilateral meeting mechanism among foreign ministers of China, Afghanistan and Pakistan, to strengthen dialogue and cooperation in all fields.

Wang said China has been always in support of the Afghan-owned and Afghan-led reconciliation process, adding that any effort in this regard should respect the sovereignty, independence and territorial integrity of Afghanistan. China appreciates the efforts that Afghan President Ashraf Ghani has made for this process.

The foreign minister said China welcomes the launch of the Kabul process, supports the revival of the Quadrilateral Coordination Group of Afghanistan, China, Pakistan and the United States, supports the activation of the work of the liaison group between the Shanghai Cooperation Organization and Afghanistan.