‘Terrorist forces may take advantage of troops withdrawal’

BEIJING: China on Thursday voiced concern over America's decision to withdraw all its troops from Afghanistan by September, saying the US should accommodate the legitimate security concerns of the regional countries to prevent "terrorist forces" from taking advantage of the chaos in the war-torn country.

Beijing also slammed Washington for linking the withdrawal of the US troops from Afghanistan to focus more on the threats posed by China, saying the fight against terrorism is in the common interest of all parties, including the two countries.

"The current security situation in Afghanistan is still complex and grim and the problem of terrorism is far from being solved. Foreign troops stationed in Afghanistan should withdraw in a responsible and orderly manner to ensure a smooth transition in Afghanistan and to avoid terrorist forces from taking advantage of chaos," Foreign Ministry spokesman Zhao Lijian told a media briefing here while responding to questions on US troops pullout plan.