Xi Jinping Meets with President Hamid Karzai of Afghanistan

http://www.fmprc.gov.cn/

On May 19, 2014, President Xi Jinping met with President Hamid Karzai of Afghanistan in Shanghai.

Xi Jinping stressed, China adheres to the friendly policy toward Afghanistan. China remains a reliable friend of Afghanistan no matter how the international and regional situations change. We are willing to maintain high-level exchanges with Afghanistan, to push forward exchanges and cooperation at all levels and in various fields, to provide help within our capacity to Afghanistan in its peaceful reconstruction, and to promote the construction of the Silk Road Economic Belt together with the Afghan side. The Chinese government supports competent Chinese enterprises to invest in Afghanistan, bringing benefits to local people. Hope that the Afghan side will take effective measures to protect the safety of Chinese institutions and personnel in Afghanistan. The Chinese side stands ready to strengthen cooperation with the Afghan side to prevent and fight against the "three evil forces".

Xi Jinping expressed, the Chinese side hopes to see a united, stable, developing and friendly Afghanistan. China supports the Afghan side for its efforts to safeguard national independence, sovereignty and territorial integrity, and for a reconciliation process led by and belong to the Afghan people. The Chinese side is willing to continue its constructive role. The Chinese side respects the choice of the Afghan people, and hopes that the ongoing presidential election in Afghanistan will be a new starting point for the country to realize smooth transition and to move towards solidarity and stability. The fourth Foreign Ministerial Conference of the Istanbul Process on Afghanistan is to be held in August this year in Tianjin, China. The Chinese side is willing to carry out close cooperation with Afghanistan and the international community to ensure the success of the meeting. The Chinese side is also willing to promote a greater role of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) on the issue of Afghanistan.

Xi Jinping spoke highly the important contributions Karzai has made to promoting the development of China-Afghanistan relations. He expressed that Chinese people will never forget their old friend and welcome him to pay more visits to China, continuing his positive role in promoting the bilateral relations.

Karzai said that Afghanistan and China have a profound friendship of brotherhood, and that China is a reliable and good neighbor of Afghanistan. The Afghan side appreciates the valuable support of the Chinese side for Afghanistan's peaceful reconstruction. Whatever the result of the Afghanistan general election will be, the Afghan side is determined to develop close good-neighborly relations with the Chinese side, and hopes the Chinese side continue its help for the realization of stability, reconciliation and development in Afghanistan, as well as for training talents for Afghan in various fields. Terrorism and transnational crimes are the common enemies to both Afghanistan and China, against which the Afghan side is willing to fight together with the Chinese side.

Xi Jinping extended once again his condolences and sympathy over the fatal landslide earlier this month in Afghanistan that has resulted in huge casualties and losses of properties. He expressed that the Chinese side stands ready to offer support and assistance for restoration and reconstruction after the disaster in line with the needs of the Afghan side. Karzai expressed his gratitude in this regard.

Wang Huning, Li Zhanshu, Han Zheng, Yang Jiechi and othes were present at the meeting.