China to help Afghanistan beat pandemic: Chinese FM

DUSHANBE, July 14 (Xinhua) -- Chinese State Councilor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi said here on Wednesday that the Chinese side will continue to provide anti-epidemic support including vaccines to Afghanistan until the country beats the outbreak.

Wang made the remarks during his meeting with Afghan Foreign Minister Mohammad Haneef Atmar.

Noting that China and Afghanistan are friendly neighbors linked by mountains and rivers, Wang said that the Chinese side attaches great importance to the China-Afghanistan strategic cooperative partnership, and is willing to work with the country to prepare for high-level contacts between the two countries and send a positive and peaceful signal to the outside world.

Wang added that he hoped the Afghan government will ensure the safety and security of Chinese personnel and institutions in Afghanistan.

Wang said that the hasty exit of U.S. and NATO (North Atlantic Treaty Organization) troops from Afghanistan has led to escalating tensions and expanding war in Afghanistan, and the settlement of the Afghan issue has arrived at a crossroads.

The Chinese side supports the establishment of a broad and inclusive political structure in Afghanistan through dialogue and consultation based on the "Afghan-led, Afghan-owned" principle, he said.

Wang reaffirmed China's support for Afghanistan in becoming an independent, autonomous and neutral country that pursues a moderate Muslim policy.

He said Beijing backs Afghanistan in its fight against all forms of terrorism and in getting along well with all neighboring countries.

Wang also said that the urgent task is to avoid a civil war, restart the intra-Afghan negotiations, and seek a political reconciliation plan, especially to prevent various terrorist forces from growing stronger by taking advantage of the situation in Afghanistan.

Afghanistan should not become a place for terrorists to gather again, he added.

Noting that all ethnic groups and factions are members of the big Afghan family, Wang said they should shoulder the responsibility to build peace, and hopes that the Afghan government will strengthen its confidence in peace talks and create necessary conditions for the reconciliation and reconstruction in Afghanistan.

Wang also urged the Taliban to make a clean break with all terrorist forces.

Stressing that China has never interfered in Afghanistan's internal affairs and harbors no geopolitical considerations, Wang said the Chinese side will continue to respect Afghanistan's independence, sovereignty and territorial integrity and believes that the Afghan people are capable of governing their own country well.

He added that the Chinese side is ready to facilitate the holding of intra-Afghan talks in China and contribute to the political settlement of the Afghan issue.

For his part, Atmar warmly congratulated the 100th anniversary of the founding of the Communist Party of China, saying that China is a good friend and neighbor of Afghanistan, and his country looks forward to a new level of cooperation with China in such areas as politics, economy and security.

The Afghan side fully agrees with China's position on the Afghan issue, and expects stronger cooperation with China within bilateral and multilateral frameworks to promote a political solution to the Afghan issue, he said.

He also said that the Afghan side is ready to strengthen security cooperation with China, and crack down on terrorist groups such as the East Turkestan Islamic Movement, adding that his country will never allow any terrorist organization to do anything harmful to China in Afghanistan.

Atmar expressed his appreciation for China's support for Afghanistan's fight against the COVID-19 epidemic, saying that the Afghan government will do its utmost to ensure the safety and security of Chinese personnel and institutions in Afghanistan.