Wang: Beijing honors Kabul's sovereignty

State Councilor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi's whirlwind visit to Afghanistan, the first visit by a Chinese high-level official since the Taliban took over power in August, is of great significance for the reconstruction and long-term stability of the war-torn country, said officials and analysts.

On Thursday, Wang met with the Afghan Taliban's interim government's Acting Deputy Prime Minister Mullah Abdul Ghani Baradar and Acting Foreign Minister Amir Khan Muttaqi, saying China would carry out mutually beneficial cooperation under the premise of respecting Afghanistan's sovereignty in an orderly manner to help the country realize independent development.

Wang reiterated that China respects Afghanistan's independence, sovereignty and territorial integrity, respects the independent choice made by the Afghan people, and respects Afghanistan's religious beliefs and national customs.

China never interferes in Afghanistan's internal affairs, nor does it seek a sphere of influence in Afghanistan, he added.

Wang said he hopes the Afghan interim government can build an inclusive political structure and implement moderate and prudent policies to serve the Afghan people's interests and meet expectations from the international community.

He also called for the Afghan interim government to take effective measures to resolutely combat all forms of terrorism including the East Turkestan Islamic Movement, thus creating necessary conditions for normal relations between Afghanistan and other countries.

China appreciates and welcomes Afghanistan's active participation in the Belt and Road Initiative, and is ready to extend the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor to Afghanistan to make the latter a bridge for regional connectivity, he added.

The Afghanistan officials said Wang's delegation is the most important high-level delegation received by the interim government and it will further enhance the time-honored friendship between the two sides while assuring Wang that Afghan territory would not be used by any force to harm China.

The one-day trip came amid preparations for the third foreign ministers' meeting to be held among the neighboring countries of Afghanistan and chaired by China.

Yu Guoqing, a researcher at the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences' Institute of West Asia and African Studies, said China has shown its responsibility as a major country amid the changing international landscape by not only promoting the political settlement of the Ukraine issue, but also paying attention to neighboring countries' stability and development.

Yu said he believes the upcoming foreign ministers' meeting among Afghanistan's neighbors will inject positive energy and contribute to the stability and security of Afghanistan.

Wang Youming, director of the Institute of Developing Countries at the China Institute of International Studies, said China has always played a constructive role in the Afghanistan issue, which has been recognized by the Afghan government and people.

The United States and its allies have imposed a raft of sanctions on Afghanistan since Washington withdrew its military from Kabul last year. In February, the Biden administration decided to divert 7 billion dollars in frozen Afghan assets.

The Chinese foreign minister reiterated during the talks China's opposition to the political pressure and economic sanctions wantonly imposed by external forces on Afghanistan.

The international community can tell right from wrong, as Washington slap sanctions while Beijing provides assistance, said Wang Youming with the CIIS.

China will cooperate with international multilateral institutions to provide food assistance to Afghanistan, and is ready to provide COVID-19 vaccines in line with Afghanistan's needs, the Chinese foreign minister pledged at the meeting.