China can play major role in Afghanistan's peace process: Afghan ambassador

BEIJING, June 1 (Xinhua) -- China can play a major role in the peace process of Afghanistan, said Javid Ahmad Qaem, Afghan ambassador to China, Tuesday at a press conference in Beijing.

In a telephone conversation on May 17 with Hamdullah Mohib, national security advisor to the Afghan president, Chinese State Councilor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi said China is ready to facilitate internal negotiations among various parties in Afghanistan, including creating necessary conditions for negotiations in China.

The ambassador said that Afghanistan appreciated China's offer to facilitate Afghan peace talks in the future.

As the region is more important than before in the peace process of Afghanistan, the ambassador believes that China can do more in helping secure lasting peace in Afghanistan.

China has many advantages that distinguishes it from others, he said.

Regarding Washington's planned withdrawal of its forces from Afghanistan by September 2021, the ambassador said that the Afghan government respects Washington's decision.

"We are capable of defending our country and people," he said. "But we keep the doors for talks open."

In addition, the ambassador said Afghanistan is recording more than 900 new confirmed cases of COVID-19 every day and around 25 to 30 new deaths in the past 24 hours.

The Afghan government is closely working with the Chinese authorities to transport 700,000 doses of vaccines donated by China to Afghanistan, said the ambassador.