Afghanistan can become platform for cooperation

China has called for abandoning the Cold War mentality and bloc rivalry to make Afghanistan a new platform for cooperation among various parties rather than an arena of geopolitics, a veteran diplomat said.

Yue Xiaoyong, Chinese special envoy for Afghan affairs, made the remarks after a series of meetings regarding Afghan affairs in Uzbekistan earlier in April.

The withdrawal of the United States and the seizure of power by the Taliban in August 2021 were the most complex and profound changes in Afghanistan, with stability and reconstruction in the wartorn country becoming a major concern for regional countries as well as the international community.

In an interview with China Daily, Yue said that promoting a political solution to the Afghan issue requires upholding the principle of indivisible security, and taking a holistic approach to addressing both symptoms and root causes.

He urged the Afghan side to fulfill its commitment to combat terrorism, saying that China pushes for and supports it in fighting terrorism, separatism and extremism.

“We hope that this country, which has experienced much suffering, will embark on a path of development as soon as possible, realize long-lasting peace and stability, and return to the Asian family as an equal and important member,” Yue said.

The international community should guide the Afghan interim government in adopting moderate and prudent policies through dialogue and consultation, instead of isolation, sanctions and criticism, he said.

According to Yue, the Taliban interim government has gone through the most difficult times, and has “found its feet” in governing the country.

While Afghanistan enjoys a generally stable situation and has started its economic reconstruction process, the country still faces many challenges in areas such as political governance, the humanitarian situation and anti-terrorism, Yue said.

Yue emphasized ending of chaos in Afghanistan, saying that the destiny of Afghanistan has to be decided by its people.

This is not only conducive to peace and stability in Afghanistan and the region, but will also make it more possible to implement regional cooperation projects with Afghan involvement, he said.

“Only when Afghanistan truly becomes an oasis of peace and a land of development and prosperity on the Silk Road can the region achieve universal security and common development,” he said. China has been carrying out multilateral coordination on Afghan affairs on various platforms, and rallying international and regional efforts to help Afghanistan, Yue said.

The foreign ministers’ meetings among Afghanistan’s neighbors, which were held four times, offer neighboring countries’ solutions in supporting Afghanistan’s peaceful reconstruction, inclusive governance and terrorism combat, Yue said.

The meeting mechanism plays a leading role in encouraging the international community to stabilize and assist Afghanistan, and these countries have urged the US and its allies to shoulder their responsibilities on the Afghan issue, he said.

In the next step, Yue said that Beijing is willing to enhance pragmatic cooperation with Kabul and continue to implement its pledge to assist the country.

China would like to work with Afghanistan to jointly build the Belt and Road, enhance communication on governance, help the country to cultivate talents and carry out antidrug cooperation, he said.

China will also work with the international community to provide constant humanitarian and development assistance to Afghanistan in advancing the economy and improving people’s livelihoods, he said.

China has so far provided the country with over 350 million yuan ($50.5 million) in urgent humanitarian assistance such as food, medicine, vaccines and winter supplies.

Yue Xiaoyong