China, Afghanistan pledge orderly, mutually beneficial cooperation

KABUL, March 24 (Xinhua) -- Visiting Chinese State Councilor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi met here Thursday with Mullah Abul Ghani Baradar, acting deputy prime minister of the Afghan Taliban's caretaker government, with both sides pledging to conduct orderly and mutually beneficial cooperation between the two countries.

During the meeting, Baradar said Afghanistan is an independent country and is willing to establish friendly relations with all countries in the world.

The Afghan Taliban's caretaker government is a responsible government, Baradar said, adding that Afghanistan attaches great importance to China's security concern and will take pragmatic and firm actions to ensure security across the country so as to contribute to safeguarding regional security.

Afghanistan cherishes China's friendship and appreciates China's help, especially in offering anti-pandemic support and providing the most needed humanitarian assistance during the most difficult times of the Afghan people, the acting deputy prime minister said.

He hoped that more Afghan commodities could be exported to the Chinese market in the future, and welcomes Chinese enterprises to invest in his country.

Afghanistan is willing to give play to its unique geographical advantage and fully participate in the building of the Belt and Road so as to become a bridge for regional interconnectivity, he added.

For his part, Wang said that the friendship between China and Afghanistan enjoys a long history. China does not interfere in Afghanistan's internal affairs, nor does it seek self-interest or a sphere of influence in Afghanistan.

China is ready to carry forward the traditional friendship between the two sides, and develop normal and neighborly relations with Afghanistan on the basis of the Five Principles of Peaceful Coexistence, he said.

The Chinese side has noted that the Afghan caretaker government is committed to peaceful reconstruction and has taken a series of positive measures to address concerns of the international community, Wang said.

The Chinese side hopes that the Afghan side will continue to establish an inclusive political structure, implement prudent policies, better safeguard the rights and interests of women and children, and demonstrate the tolerance and friendliness of Muslims, he said.

Wang said that on the premise of respecting Afghanistan's sovereignty, China is ready to carry out mutually beneficial cooperation with Afghanistan in an orderly manner with a focus on improving people's livelihood and enhancing Afghanistan's capacity for independent development, so as to help Afghanistan turn its resource advantage into development advantage.

China appreciates and welcomes Afghanistan's active participation in the joint construction of the Belt and Road, and stands ready to extend the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor to Afghanistan, replicate more successful experiences, and make Afghanistan, with the geographical strength as the "Heart of Asia", a bridge for regional connectivity, Wang said.

China appreciates Afghanistan's clear declaration and solemn commitment of not allowing any external forces to use the Afghan territory to oppose its neighboring countries or harm the security of other countries, and hopes that Afghanistan will firmly and resolutely fulfill this commitment, he added.