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China has long been a staunch supporter of Afghan peaceful reconstruction, and its people’s endeavor to fight terrorism: Ambassador Wang Yu
AT News
KABUL: China and Afghanistan are friendly neighbors connected by common mountains and river, said Chinese ambassador to Kabul, Wang Yu, who believes peace in Afghanistan means peace in China.
In his first briefing with Afghan journalists from different media outlets, Mr. Yu said that his country firmly supports the Afghan-owned peace and reconciliation process. “We are working for peace in Afghanistan, and China will not force anybody to agree other,” he said.
Peace talks between US and Taliban that once was called off by US President Donald Trump has been resumed indirectly. Recently when Trump landed in Kabul in a surprise visit, said that his administration is working on an agreement with the Taliban. In September he revoked peace talks that lasted for almost one year, where U.S. and Taliban negotiators were already reached agreement in principle.
During revocation, US Special envoy for Afghanistan reconciliation Zalmay Khalilzad visited China, Russia, Pakistan and some Europe countries to find a common way to end war in Afghanistan through a settlement negotiation. Despite all out efforts, so far direct inter-Afghans did not hold, as Taliban time and again rejected meeting government officials, but held twice talks with Afghan elites and political figures. The recent talks between Afghan politicians and Taliban were yet to be held in Beijing.
Chinese envoy, Mr. Yu told Afghan reporters that China sincerely hope that Afghanistan and all other neighbors of China will enjoy independence, freedom and prosperous development.
“China and Afghanistan has established a strategic partnership of cooperation. We always support each other and respect and accommodate each other’s core interest. China is already the world’s second largest economy, with an important political positions and rapidly increasing economic and technological strength.”
China has long been a staunch supporter of Afghan peaceful reconstruction and its people’s endeavor to fight terrorism and safeguard national independence, sovereignty and territorial integrity, the envoy told the newsmen.
He added that the international community, China included, may support peace and development in Afghanistan, but must not usurp the role of the Afghan people. “The Chinese policy has won full respect of the Afghan people.”
He further went on saying, “mutual understanding between our two peoples remains insufficient. The Afghan people’s knowledge of China comes mainly from Western media and is therefore sometimes inevitably rich in misunderstanding and bias. The Chinese people’s knowledge of Afghanistan also for the most part dwells on war, chaos and terrorist attacks. None of these represent the only reality of our two countries.
Therefore, he called and encouraged media sector to strengthen communication and exchanged s and enhance mutual understanding and trust.
Like Afghanistan, china is a multi-ethnic nation with 56 ethnic groups living in 34 provinces, autonomous regions, municipalities and special administrative regions.
However, he blamed powerful countries for being hell-bent on destroying China. “China has been suppressed and contained by some powerful countries in the process of national rejuvenation and development. Regardless of the facts, they attempt to interfere in China’s internal affairs and block China from developing and becoming strong on grounds of ethnicity, religion, human rights or freedom.”
He added that the issues of Xinjiang and Hong Kong have been used by these countries to subvert China and obstruct its development.
Talking about Xinjiang he said that it is not about ethnicity or religion but rather about combating extremism, terrorism and separatisms. “It also involves a game between major powers. Extremist and terrorist attempt to undermine China’s territorial integrity and unity while some countries want to suppress the development of developing countries, including China,” he added.
China is a unified country with 56 ethnic groups and multiple religions including Taoism, Buddhism, Islam, Catholicism and Christianity, he said, adding Chinese constitution stipulates that all ethnic groups are equal, that the state protects the legitimate rights and interests of all ethnic minorities, and that discrimination or oppression against any ethnic group is prohibited.
According to him, Xinjiang used to be as peaceful as other parts of China. “Since the 1990s, ethnic separatist forces and extremely violence terrorist forces in Xinjiang have learned extreme religious ideas from abroad spread them widely in Xinjiang and indicted some ignorant believes to use violence and terror on the general public. On 5 July 2009 alone, more than 2,000 innocent people were killed and injured.”
To crack the violent acts, China has opened vocational education and training centers to educate people affected by extremist ideology, Mr. Ambassador said, adding the measures has produced very good results.
He said more than 1,000 ambassadors and other diplomats from all over the world have visited those education center, including Mr. Husinpur, former charge d’affaires of the Afghan Embassy, and Mr. Voronkov, Under-Secretary-General of the United Nations Counter-Terrorism Office.
However, he said that most countries around the world are disgusted with the attempts by the US and other Western countries to interfere with China in the name of human rights. “Since the beginning of this year, the US and some other Western countries have instigated some countries to make joint statements on Xinjiang at meetings of the UN Human Rights Council and the Third Committee of the UN General Assembly. They met strong opposition from a large number of Muslim countries, including Saudi Arabia, and some EU countries, which was a demonstration of justice and equity. We hope that Afghanistan will also recognize the nature of the Xinjiang issue and support Chain.”
He furthered, “China cherishes its friendship with Afghanistan. We do not want to see Afghanistan take sides in the great power game or get harmed in any way for this reason. “All countries have their own experiences and lesson in combating extreme terrorism and redressing the people inflected by those ideologies. China is ready to strengthen exchanges with Afghanistan in this regard.”
In regards to Hong Kong, he said that protests there is by no means about democracy or freedom which some Western politicians and media flaunt, but rather about extremely violence lawbreakers disrupting the rule of law and social order in Hong Kong, attempting to create chaos and undermine One Country, Two systems’.
He said that Afghanistan has long suffered from terrorism and be torn by war and conflicts. “you understand the value of peace and stability. I sincerely hope that friends from Afghan media originations will not be misled by some Western media with ulterior motives. I hope you will see the truth clerly, report the situation in Hong Kong impartially and objectively, support the SAR government to stop the riots, restore order and maintain the rule of law, and resist and oppose any interference in Hong Kong affairs.”
