China promises to help defuse Pak-Afghan tensions

KABUL has considerably increased, says a top Chinese diplomat.

Last year, Beijing gave a million dollars in cash assistance to UNHCR to provide blankets, gas cans and other winter items for Afghan refugees.

Chinese Ambassador to Afghanistan Liu Jingson told a gathering here on Sunday his country had also provided food aid to refugees through the World Food Program.

He said Beijing had been exploring specific projects in cooperation with UNDP, UNDCP, World Bank (WB) and Asian Development Bank (ADB).

China would keep trying to play a productive role in removing tensions between Kabul and Islamabad, the envoy promised, pledging support for the Afghan peace process.

UN Secretary-General’s Special Representative Tadamichi Yamamoto and Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs Nasir Ahmad Andesha also attending the gathering.

Tadamichi Yamamoto highlighted the importance of the events, which helped enhance people’s knowledge about the two countries.

He commended the Chinese donations to the war-hit country in various sectors through the UN and directly, particularly on development and infrastructure projects.

China has been helping Afghanistan and provided assistance to the refugees who recently returned from Pakistan, Tadamichi noted.

China allocated two billion dollars to the UN besides supporting Afghan security forces in terms of equipment and training, Yamamoto added,

He praised China for its contribution to building cooperative relations between Afghanistan Pakistan.

Ambassador Liu called Afghanistan one of China’s important neighbours in the heart of Asia, having land routes connecting different parts of the continent.

President Xi Jinping delivered key-note remarks at the Boao Forum annual summit in Henan province for the Asian people's prosperity and peaceful life.

China’s Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) goal is to provide facilities for global and regional connectivity.

pk/mud