China to continue supporting Afghanistan's transformation, development: spokesperson

BEIJING, Feb. 25 (Xinhua) -- A Chinese foreign ministry spokesperson on Friday said that China will continue to stand firmly with the Afghan people, and help Afghanistan achieve transformation and development and integrate into the international community at an early date.

Spokesperson Wang Wenbin made the remarks at a daily press briefing when responding to a query about China's position on and actions related to Afghanistan's peaceful reconstruction.

"Afghanistan is at a crucial stage of moving from chaos to order," Wang said, adding the Afghan people are facing a historic opportunity to take their destiny into their own hands and seek a development path that suits their own national realities.

They are also facing humanitarian, economic, counterterrorism and governance challenges, which calls for more international support, he said.

Wang noted that China will, as it always has, pursue a friendly policy toward the Afghan people and respect Afghanistan's sovereignty, independence and territorial integrity. China will not interfere in the country's internal affairs.

China has already provided 300 million yuan (47.5 million U.S. dollars) worth of humanitarian aid to Afghanistan and will continue to provide assistance to the Afghan people, Wang said.

China will help Afghanistan improve its capacity for independent development and will import more high-quality agricultural products from Afghanistan, in order to generate income for the Afghan people, the spokesperson said.

"In the long run, China is ready to strengthen exchanges in state governance experience with Afghanistan and the construction of connectivity projects. China will strive to build up the international synergy to support Afghanistan's peaceful," Wang said.