KABUL - Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi met on Wednesday with Afghan Foreign Minister Amir Khan Muttaqi.
Wang, also a member of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China Central Committee, said that as a neighbor and partner, China congratulates Afghanistan on new achievements it has made in national development.
China pursues a policy of friendship toward all the Afghan people and has always been at the forefront among major countries and neighboring countries in developing relations with Afghanistan, Wang said.
He noted that China will continue to support the Afghan government in governing steadily, focusing on development, resolutely fighting terrorism, promoting good-neighborliness and friendship, and achieving lasting stability.
It is hoped that Afghanistan will continue to make every effort to crack down on the East Turkestan Islamic Movement, so as to remove obstacles and inject impetus into the further development of bilateral relations, Wang said.
He added that China is ready to work together with Afghanistan to carry forward friendship, deepen political mutual trust, and strengthen cooperation in the economy, trade, agriculture, poverty reduction, water conservancy, connectivity, and people-to-people exchanges.
Muttaqi expressed gratitude to China for its valuable support to Afghanistan in opposing external interference, and praised China's important contribution to safeguarding regional peace and development.
Friendship with China is the cornerstone of Afghanistan's foreign policy, Muttaqi said, noting that Afghanistan attaches great importance to China's security concerns and will never allow anyone or any force to use Afghan territory to engage in activities harmful to China.
Afghanistan is ready to strengthen security and counter-terrorism cooperation with China to jointly safeguard lasting peace and stability in the region, Muttaqi added.
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Wang also met on Wednesday with Afghan Interior Minister Sirajuddin Haqqani.
Wang said that China has always pursued a friendly policy toward Afghanistan, stood for equality among all countries, and adhered to the principle of non-interference in internal affairs.
He stressed that China respects Afghanistan's independence, sovereignty and territorial integrity, as well as its development path chosen by the Afghan people, its unique national conditions and religious traditions, adding that in Afghanistan's pursuit of development and revitalization, China is a reliable partner and friend of Afghanistan.
China supports Afghanistan's policy of prioritizing economic development and is willing to contribute to its development and revitalization, Wang said.
He said that China will continue to oppose unreasonable pressure on Afghanistan and freeze of its assets, and supports an early resumption of bilateral patrols in the Wakhan Corridor to maintain peace and tranquility in border areas, urging Afghanistan to take firm actions to crack down on the East Turkestan Islamic Movement and other international terror groups so as to safeguard China-Afghanistan cooperation.
Haqqani expressed appreciation for China's long-standing support for Afghanistan's development and the people's livelihood, as well as its support for Afghanistan's integration into the international community.
He said that Afghanistan is ready to carry forward a friendship with China, and further expand cooperation in various fields, stressing that Afghanistan attaches great importance to China's security concerns, and Afghanistan will never allow anyone to use its territory to undermine China's security.
