Multifaceted Afghan-Sino cooperation stressed

KABUL and China in diverse fields.

A number of Chinese and Afghan politicians, officials and traders attended the day-long seminar and discussed how to improve cooperation in various fields between the two neighbouring countries.

Chinese Ambassador to Kabul Deng Xijun told the seminar that relations between China and Afghanistan had improved and his country was ready to cooperate with Afghanistan in every sphere of life.

He said China was ready to help Afghanistan improve its economy, culture, intelligence gathering, counter terrorism and judicial systems.

“China and Afghanistan should bolster their joint cooperation in intelligence gathering and countering insurgency,” he added.

Former National Security advisor Dr. Rangin Dadfar Spanta, who attended the event, said China and Afghanistan enjoyed good relations over the past six decades.

He said the neighbouring country had assisted Afghanistan in strengthening its economy and security through investments after the overthrow of the Taliban regime in 2001.

“Defending a united China means defending our cooperation with the people of China in fighting terrorism.  We will cooperate with China as President Ashraf Ghani stressed in his recent trip to the country,” Spanta said.

He called a long-term cooperation between the two countries in Afghanistan’s favour. Spanta said Afghanistan had rich natural resources and China could help exploit the potential.

Both Afghanistan and China faced terrorism and illegal narcotics trafficking and both needed to fight the two menaces together, he said.

He said a meeting was scheduled to be held in Beijing on Nov 20 to discuss security issues in Asia.

mds/ma