During his visit to Qatar at the invitation of Qatari Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani on October 25 and 26, Chinese State Councilor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi met with Mullah Abdul Ghani Baradar, Afghan Taliban’s acting deputy prime minister.

Wang Yi said, now, Afghanistan is at the critical stage of moving from chaos to stability. It has a historic opportunity to truly master its own destiny, achieve tolerance and reconciliation, and promote national reconstruction. At the same time, it is also facing four challenges in humanitarian, economic, counter-terrorism, and governance. Overcoming these difficulties requires more understanding and support from the international community. We hope the Afghan Taliban can form solidarity with all factions and ethnic groups in Afghanistan, to work with all parties to establish an inclusive political structure in Afghanistan that is accepted by all Afghan people and protects human rights as well as the rights and interests of women and children, and build a broad-based and inclusive political structure suited to the national realities.

Wang Yi said that China has always respected Afghanistan’s sovereignty, independence and territorial integrity, adhered to non-interference in Afghanistan’s internal affairs and pursued a friendly policy toward the entire Afghan people. Afghanistan belongs to the Afghan people, and its future should be in the hands of its own people.  China attaches great importance to the humanitarian difficulties currently facing Afghanistan, urges the United States and the West countries to lift sanctions, and calls on all parties to engage with Afghanistan in a rational and pragmatic manner to help the country embark on a path of sound development. China is willing to continue to provide humanitarian material assistance within its capacity, and work with the international community to help Afghanistan alleviate temporary difficulties and achieve economic reconstruction and independent development.

Wang Yi stressed that the East Turkestan Islamic Movement (ETIM) is an international terrorist organization designated by the UN Security Council that poses a direct threat to China’s national security and territorial integrity. Combating the ETIM is a common responsibility for the international community. We hope the Afghan Taliban will make a clean break with all terrorist organizations including the ETIM and resolutely and effectively combat them to remove obstacles, play a positive role and create enabling conditions for security, stability, development and cooperation in the region.

Baradar said China is an important neighbor of Afghanistan, and he was grateful for the respect and friendliness shown by China during the difficult times of Afghanistan. They hope to strengthen cooperation with China in various fields.

They also attach great importance to China’s security concerns and will resolutely fulfill its commitments, and will never allow anyone or any force to use Afghanistan’s territory to do things that endanger China.

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