Xi Urges Consensus from Afghanistan’s Neighbors for Stable Transition

Xi Jinping’s request came in a written message to the third meeting of foreign ministers of countries neighboring Afghanistan in the Chinese city of Tunxi, state-run news agency Xinhua reported.

Present at the meeting were the foreign ministers or representatives of China, Russia, Pakistan, Iran, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan.

Xi said that Afghanistan was in urgent need of development and had reached a critical point of transition from chaos to order.

He urged the neighboring countries to do everything possible to build consensus and coordinate efforts to support the Afghan people in building a better future.

He added that the coordination and cooperation mechanism established in September has endeavored to play to the strengths of these countries thereby playing a constructive role in promoting a stable transition.

“China always respects Afghanistan’s sovereignty, independence and territorial integrity, and has committed to supporting its pursuit of peace, stability and development,” the Chinese leader said.

Xi added that a peaceful, stable, prosperous and developing country is also in the interests of the region and the international community.

Two other meetings are scheduled to take place in Tunxi: one of the Extended Troika with special envoys to Afghanistan from China, Russia and the United States, and another between Chinese and Afghan representatives.

On Mar. 24, Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi paid a surprise visit to Kabul to meet senior officials of the Taliban interim government and announced that his country would resume investments in Afghanistan.

After failing to achieve the long-awaited recognition from the international community, the Taliban have relied on China to ease its humanitarian and economic crisis, worsened by sanctions that Beijing opposes.