Afghan president thanks China for COVID-19 vaccine assistance

A handover ceremony for a batch of China-donated COVID-19 vaccines to Afghanistan was held at the Afghan presidential palace in Kabul on June 12.

Afghan President Mohammad Ashraf Ghani, Acting Minister of Public Health Wahid Majrooh, other senior officials from the Afghan government, Chinese Ambassador to Afghanistan Wang Yu and other officials from the Chinese Embassy in Afghanistan attended the ceremony.

Ghani said that China's donation of 700,000 doses of vaccine is a full manifestation of China-Afghanistan friendship and strong proof of Chinese support for the Afghan people. Afghanistan and China have had friendly exchanges for thousands of years, and this precious friendship will continue to be passed down over the coming thousand years.

Afghanistan will distribute the Chinese vaccines to the people most in need in a fair, transparent and timely manner, so that they can experience for themselves the profound friendship of the Chinese government and people, Ghani said.

Afghanistan is currently going through a special period and cherishes more the friendship with its great neighbor China, said Ghani, adding that Afghanistan is willing to carry out comprehensive dialogue and cooperation with China, expand exports to China, and strengthen economic and trade cooperation and personnel exchanges.

He said he hopes China will provide more assistance including anti-pandemic materials and mechanized equipment in order to help Afghanistan improve its capabilities in pandemic prevention and control and enhance future economic development.

Majrooh said that Afghanistan is very appreciative of China's donation of 700,000 vaccine doses, which is a timely helping hand for the country.

Wang said that the Chinese government has successfully delivered 700,000 doses of COVID-19 vaccine to Afghanistan with the cooperation of relevant departments of the two governments. Other medical supplies donated by China have also arrived in Kabul.

As the saying goes, "A small disturbance in one place is a danger to the whole world". At present, the global pandemic situation is still grim and the spread of coronavirus variants is accelerating, which means the anti-pandemic fight is at a critical juncture. In adherence with the vision of a global community of health for all, China has worked with other countries to overcome their difficulties, and has contributed its wisdom and strength to global cooperation in the fight against the virus.

As Afghanistan's harmonious and friendly neighbor, a good partner who is willing to walk hand-in-hand with Afghanistan and a good brother who shares weal and woe with Afghanistan, China will continue to work together with Afghanistan to fight the pandemic and provide assistance to Afghanistan, Wang said.

China will also continue to support the peace and reconciliation processes in Afghanistan, stay committed to the general direction of peaceful settlement, and safeguard the achievements of peaceful reconstruction in Afghanistan.

China wishes that Afghanistan will realize peace and stability, quickly recover its economy and improve its people's livelihoods, continue its thousand-year friendship with China, and jointly embrace a bright future.