Wang Yi Meets with Acting Foreign Minister of the Afghan Interim Government Amir Khan Muttaqi

On July 28, 2022 local time, State Councilor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi met with Acting Foreign Minister of the Afghan Interim Government Amir Khan Muttaqi on the sidelines of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization foreign ministers' meeting.

Wang Yi said, since the beginning of this year, we have had four meetings, showcasing the traditional friendship of the two peoples. Not long ago, Afghanistan suffered from a severe earthquake disaster. The Chinese side deeply related to the Afghan side and delivered emergency supplies to Afghanistan through various channels such as by air, sea and land as soon as possible. The fight in solidarity against the earthquake wrote a new chapter of China-Afghanistan friendship. The meeting of the China-Afghanistan liaison mechanisms at the working levels for humanitarian assistance and economic reconstruction smoothly progressed, and new consensus on bilateral cooperation was reached.

Wang Yi said, China appreciates the Afghan Interim Government's unremitting efforts in overcoming the four challenges posed by the winter, earthquake, flood and sanctions, in reconstruction and recovery and the improvement of people's livelihood, and its steady progress toward the goal of lasting peace and stability. China hopes to push the alignment of the Belt and Road Initiative with the development strategies of Afghanistan, support the extension of the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor to Afghanistan, and share China's development opportunities. China will grant zero tariff treatment to 98 percent of the tariff lines of the Afghan products exported to China, and is willing to import more quality specialty products from Afghanistan. China appreciates Afghanistan's firm attitude to the counter-narcotics issue, and is willing to assist Afghanistan in planting alternative crops.

Wang Yi emphasized, China will continue to urge the United States and other Western countries to remove unreasonable sanctions on Afghanistan, and earnestly fulfill its primary responsibility for the economic reconstruction of Afghanistan. China hopes that Afghanistan can build a broad-based and inclusive government and exercise moderate and prudent governance, maintain domestic stability and realize national harmony, take resolute measures to crack down on all terrorist forces, including the East Turkestan Islamic Movement, and actively respond to the concerns of the international community and gain more understanding and recognition.

Muttaqi thanked China for its timely assistance to Afghanistan's emergency disaster relief. He said that China's timely assistance and friendship deeply moved Afghanistan. Afghanistan will continue to adhere to the one-China principle, and will never allow its territory to be used for anti-China activities. The Afghan government is resolute in combating drug-related activities, attaches paramount importance to China's advice on cultivating alternative crops, and expects to learn from China's development experience and advanced agricultural technology and realize the sound development of Afghan agriculture to benefit the Afghan people. He hopes that China can provide more support for Afghanistan in gaining international recognition and improving infrastructure construction.

Wang Yi appreciated Afghanistan's active participation in the Third Foreign Ministers' Meeting on the Afghan Issue Among the Neighboring Countries of Afghanistan in Tunxi, saying that China will work with all parties to make good use of the mechanism of the foreign ministers' meeting on the Afghan issue among the neighboring countries of Afghanistan and continue to play a constructive role in the reconstruction and development of Afghanistan.

Wang Yi further announced that, since August 1, China will resume the issuance of visas for Afghan citizens to enter China.