ASIA TOUR Trump, Xi agree to stop ‘Islamist terror’
U.S. PREZ ON
China on Thursday said that President Xi Jinping and his US counterpart Donald Trump have reached a consensus on fighting terrorism and upholding peace and stability in South Asia, amid America ramping up pressure on Pakistan to dismantle terror safe havens.
During their talks here, Mr Xi and Mr Trump discussed Afghanistan and committed to working toward “a peaceful future for the terrorist haven”.
“This morning, the two Presidents talked and held joint press meeting. I am not aware of the details of the talks. What I know is that the two sides also discussed anti-terrorism issues and upholding peace and stability in South Asia,” Chinese foreign ministry spokesperson Hua Chunying told a media briefing. “They reached consensus in this respect,” she said without elaborating or mentioning whether India’s concerns over terrorism emanating from Pakistan figured in the talks.
To counter terrorism, China and the US as well as other countries share the common interests and the two countries stand ready to work with other parties for stronger anti- terrorism cooperation, she said.
South Asia and Afghanistan figured prominently in Thursday’s talks as both the leaders mentioned it in their briefings.
After the talks, Mr Trump said that terrorists are a threat to humanity and that he and Mr Xi will “stop radical Islamist terrorism.”
“In order to create more secure future for all and protect our citizens from extremism and terrorism, President Xi and I are also committed to work together for a peaceful future for Afghanistan,” Mr Trump said.
“Terrorists are a threat to all of humanity and we will stop radical Islamist terrorism,” he said.
Mr Trump’s remarks assume significance after he unveiled his new South Asia policy under which the US has warned Pakistan against providing safe harbour to terrorist organisations.
Mr Trump’s South Asia policy giving importance to India and inviting New Delhi to play a bigger role in reconstruction of Afghanistan has also raised eyebrows in Beijing and Islamabad.
Elaborating on the Trump-Xi talks on Afghanistan, Ms Hua said the two sides believe that maintaining the stable and constructive relations between Afghanistan and its neighbouring countries is of great significance to the peace and reconstruction process in Afghanistan.
“They support an Afghan-led and Afghanowned peace and reconstruction process, call on relevant parties in Afghanistan to achieve extensive and inclusive national reconciliation through political negotiation at an early date and stand ready to play a positive role through such mechanisms as the Quadrilateral Coordination Group of Afghanistan, China, Pakistan and the US,” Hua said in a written response to PTI here.