Wang Yi Attends the G20 Foreign Ministers' Video Conference on Afghanistan

On September 23, 2021, State Councilor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi attended the Group of 20 (G20) Foreign Ministers' Video Conference on Afghanistan.

Wang Yi said, the changes in the situation in Afghanistan have aroused widespread concern in the international community, and how it will evolve subsequently will have greater implications for international and regional peace and stability. The destiny of Afghanistan is once again in the hands of the Afghan people, yet there is still uncertainty in its future development. As the main platform for international economic cooperation, the G20 should, based on its positioning, play a constructive role while Afghanistan is seeking peace, promoting development and gathering consensus.

First, humanitarian assistance is a task which brooks no delay. We should redouble efforts on and speed up the provision of assistance to Afghanistan, and in particular lend the Afghan people a helping hand in time to address their most urgent needs. China has decided to provide 200 million yuan worth of related materials to Afghanistan, including the donation of the first three million doses of COVID-19 vaccine. Wang Yi hopes that the countries responsible for the current situation in Afghanistan will seriously reflect on what they have done, take more practical actions to alleviate the difficulties faced by the Afghan people as soon as possible, and fulfill their due responsibilities.

Second, economic sanctions must be stopped. All kinds of unilateral sanctions or restrictions on Afghanistan should be lifted. Afghanistan's foreign exchange reserves are its national assets, and should be owned by and used for the people, rather than being used as a bargaining chip to exert political pressure on Afghanistan. China calls on G20 members to actively take practical steps to help Afghanistan ease the current liquidity stress. International financial institutions should also provide financing support for the poverty reduction, sustainable development, livelihood and infrastructure projects in Afghanistan.

Third, interactions and contacts should be inclusive. On the premise of respecting the sovereignty, independence and territorial integrity of Afghanistan, we should support the Afghan people in independently choosing a development path suited to its national conditions and eventually building a broad and inclusive political structure which respects the basic rights of minority groups, women and children, and pursues a foreign policy of peace advocating good neighborliness with all countries, especially with neighboring countries.

Fourth, counter-terrorism cooperation needs to be deepened. Afghanistan must earnestly honor its commitments by making a clean break with and resolutely fighting all kinds of international terrorist forces. From the commanding view of a community with a shared future for mankind, the international community should build a united front against terrorism, oppose double standards and selective counter-terrorism, and prevent Afghanistan from becoming a breeding ground and shelter for terrorism again.

Fifth, both the symptoms and root causes of the refugee issue must be addressed. The United States and the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) countries should take the primary responsibility for solving the issue of Afghan refugees and migrants. The economic reconstruction of Afghanistan is the fundamental solution to the issue of refugees and migrants. Afghanistan should make its administration more inclusive and predictable, and the international community should work in a down-to-earth manner to help Afghanistan accelerate reconstruction so as to fundamentally reduce the number of new refugees and migrants.

Sixth, mechanisms of all sorts should coordinate for higher synergistic effects. China supports the United Nations (UN) in acting as the main channel for maintaining peace and stability in Afghanistan and offering humanitarian assistance, and urges the UN Assistance Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA) and other UN agencies to effectively carry out their responsibilities. China welcomes multilateral mechanisms on Afghanistan to give play to their respective advantages and pool efforts to assist Afghanistan. Just days ago, the First Foreign Ministers' Meeting on the Afghan Issue Among the Neighboring Countries of Afghanistan and the Informal Meeting of Foreign Ministers of China, Russia, Pakistan and Iran on the Afghan Issue reached a lot of consensus, sending a clear signal of creating a favorable external environment for the peaceful reconstruction of Afghanistan. China is willing to stay in communication and coordination and continue to strengthen cooperation with all parties.

Wang Yi said, China, as a friendly neighbor of Afghanistan, stands ready to work with G20 members and the international community to let the sunshine of peace spread all over Afghanistan and the dividends of development benefit all Afghan people at an early date, and jointly support to help Afghanistan usher in a better future.