(Xinhua)
Updated: 2008-06-13 09:10

PARIS -- Chinese Foreign Minister Yang Jiechi said here Thursday that the Chinese government and people would continue to support the reconstruction efforts of Afghanistan.  

China was very happy to see the positive changes taking place in Afghanistan, Yang said when meeting Afghan President Hamid Karzai on the sidelines of an international donors' conference for the war-torn Asian nation.

He voiced his belief that under the leadership of the Afghan government and with the help of the international community, Afghanistan could surely achieve lasting peace and development.

China decided to provide 50 million yuan for Afghanistan to fund its reconstruction efforts, Yang said.

He also noted that together with the Afghan side, China would like to positively implement the Good-neighborly Treaty of Friendship and Cooperation between China and Afghanistan and push forward the development of bilateral ties.

The treaty was signed in June 2006 in Beijing.

Karzai expressed sympathy with China over the great loss of lives and damages afflicted by a devastating earthquake in Sichuan Province, believing that the Chinese people could overcome the catastrophe under the leadership of the Chinese government.

He noted that the situation in his country remained unstable, saying the international aid was crucial.

Karzai thanked China for its "precious" help, vowing to continue practical cooperation in various fields with China.

On the same day, Yang Jiechi exchanged views with US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice on bilateral ties and issues of common concern.

They agreed to fortify bilateral consultation and cooperation, pushing  bilateral constructive ties towards healthy and stable development.

Yang discussed as well with his British counterpart David Miliband topics such as Sino-British relations, China-EU ties and Iranian nuclear crisis.

Miliband described the relationship between the EU and China as a long-term one, saying that the British side takes it from a strategic perspective and would dedicate to the promotion of it.

Yang also met UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon, who came to Paris for the Afghanistan conference.

Ban thanked China for its support to Afghanistan's reconstruction.