Afghanistan, China sign cooperation accords

KABUL (Pajhwok): Afghanistan and China on Tuesday signed three cooperation agreements after Chinese vice-president Li Yuanchao arrived in Kabul.

Under the accords, China would install security scanners at entry gates to Kabul, build 10,000 residential apartments and issue 50 scholarships to Afghan students, an official said.

The contracts were signed between Finance Minister Eklil Hakimi and the Chinese deputy commerce minister as President Ashraf Ghani and the Chiense vice-president Li Yuanchao looked on at the Presidential Palace.

Li Yuanchao at the head of a high level delegation arrived to Kabul on an official visit.

Speaking on the occasion, President Ghani said the singing of the three contracts would further improve relations between the two countries.

“The first agreement is about physical security of our people. The security system on Kabul gates will ensure that traffic entering Kabul are checked and investigated,” Ghani said.

Based on the second agreement, he added, China would construct residential apartments at a cost of 500 million Yuan ($79 million) in Afghanistan.

A Ministry of Urban Development official said China would provide the 500 million Yuan in the first phase. He said 10,000 residential apartments would cost 2 billion Yuan or 365 million US dollars.

However, Ghani said the residential buildings would be first distributed to families of police, army and intelligence officials who lost their lives in the conflict. Then, the buildings would be distributed to government officers, he added.

The president said China under the third contract would provide 50 higher education scholarships to Afghan students. China last year promised to provide 3,000 scholarships, he said.

The Chinese vice president praised friendly relations between his country and Afghanistan and said the contracts would further improve bilateral relations.

He said his country would continue to support Afghanistan, particularly in achieving lasting peace.

mds/ma