On April 12-13, Chinese State Councilor and Foreign Minister Qin Gang paid an official visit to Uzbekistan and then attended two important meetings, namely the fourth foreign ministers meeting among neighbouring countries of Afghanistan, followed by the second informal meeting of foreign ministers of China, Russia, Pakistan, and Iran on the Afghan issue.
Coinciding with these events, on April 12, the Chinese Foreign Ministry released an 11-point position paper on the Afghan issue. It noted that: “China respects the independence, sovereignty and territorial integrity of Afghanistan, respects the independent choices made by the Afghan people, and respects the religious beliefs and national customs of Afghanistan. China never interferes in Afghanistan’s internal affairs, never seeks selfish interests in Afghanistan, and never pursues so-called sphere of influence.”
China, it said, sincerely hopes that Afghanistan could build an open and inclusive political structure, adopt moderate and prudent domestic and foreign policies, and engage in friendly exchanges with all countries especially neighbouring countries. “We hope the Afghan Interim Government will protect the basic rights and interests of all Afghan people, including women, children and all ethnic groups.”
China will continue to do its best to help Afghanistan with reconstruction and development, make plans with Afghanistan and fulfil its assistance pledges, promote steady progress in economic, trade and investment cooperation, and actively carry out cooperation in such fields as medical care, poverty alleviation, agriculture, and disaster prevention and mitigation, so as to help Afghanistan realise independent and sustainable development at an early date. China welcomes Afghanistan’s participation in Belt and Road cooperation.
Stressing the need to support Afghanistan in countering terrorism, China hopes that Afghanistan will fulfil its commitment in earnest and take more effective measures to crack down on all terrorist forces including the ETIM [East Turkestan Islamic Movement] with greater determination.
The paper added: “It is a widely held view in the international community that, by seizing Afghanistan’s overseas assets and imposing unilateral sanctions, the US, which created the Afghan issue in the first place, is the biggest external factor that hinders substantive improvement in the humanitarian situation in Afghanistan. The US should draw lessons from what happened in Afghanistan, face squarely the grave humanitarian, economic and security risks and challenges in Afghanistan, immediately lift its sanctions, return the Afghan overseas assets, and deliver its pledged humanitarian aid to meet the emergency needs of the Afghan people.”
It also stressed: “It is a shared view of regional countries that the military interference and ‘democratic transformation’ by external forces in Afghanistan over the past 20-odd years have inflicted enormous losses and pain on Afghanistan. It will be difficult to eliminate the negative impacts for many years to come. To help Afghanistan achieve sustained peace and stability, relevant countries should not attempt to re-deploy military facilities in Afghanistan and its neighbourhood, practice double standards on counter-terrorism, or advance their geopolitical agenda by supporting or conniving at terrorism.”
Beginning his visit in the Uzbek capital Tashkent, on April 12, Qin Gang met with the country’s president Shavkat Mirziyoyev Once again congratulating Xi Jinping on his unanimous re-election as president of China for a third term, and recalling the Chinese leader’s visit to Uzbekistan last year, Mirziyoyev said that, as a good friend standing shoulder to shoulder and a close and reliable partner, Uzbekistan is heartened by China’s remarkable achievements. He looked forward to attending the China-Central Asia Summit and the third Belt and Road Forum for International Cooperation, the two major multilateral diplomatic events scheduled to be held in China this year.
Both sides stressed that they should strive for an early start to the construction of the China-Kyrgyzstan-Uzbekistan railway to boost regional connectivity. A poverty-alleviation cooperation sub-committee will be set up to help Uzbekistan achieve its poverty-alleviation goals at an early date.
The next day, Qin Gang attended the fourth foreign ministers’ meeting among neighboring countries of Afghanistan in the city of Samarkand. It was chaired by the Acting Foreign Minister of Uzbekistan and also attended by the foreign ministers of Russia, Iran and Tajikistan, the First Deputy Foreign Minister of Turkmenistan, and the Minister of State for Foreign Affairs of Pakistan.
At this meeting, Qin Gang put forward a four-point proposal:
- To crack down on the terrorist forces in Afghanistan, remove the breeding ground for terrorism at its source, and resolutely prevent Afghanistan from becoming a sanctuary, breeding ground, and spreading source of terrorism again.
- That the United States should fulfil its responsibilities. The United States is the initiator of the Afghan problem and has yet to reflect on the serious harm it has caused to the Afghan people. The United States should immediately lift unilateral sanctions against Afghanistan and return Afghanistan’s overseas funds.
- Calling on the Afghan Taliban to build inclusive governance. On the basis of respecting the independence, sovereignty and national self-esteem of Afghanistan, the neighbours should guide the Afghan Taliban to follow the trend of the times, learn from the mature practices of other Muslim countries, and show more inclusiveness and progressiveness in the establishment and specific governance of political power.
- To carry out practical cooperation related to Afghanistan. The neighbouring parties should support Afghanistan in leveraging its geographical advantage as the ‘heart of Asia’, integrating itself into regional connectivity and economic integration, and enhancing its capacity for independent and sustainable development.
The meeting called on the Afghan Taliban to pay attention to and respond to the major concerns of neighbouring countries, and effectively combat terrorism and drug trafficking. They also expressed opposition to external forces undermining the security and stability of Afghanistan and the region, the evasion of responsibility by the country which bears the primary responsibility for the current situation in Afghanistan, and its closing the door to contact and dialogue with the Afghan side.
The meeting agreed the Samarkand Declaration, in which, among other points, the parties:
- Reaffirmed the commitment to the development of Afghanistan as a peaceful, united, sovereign, and independent state, free from the threats of terrorism and drug trafficking.
- Noted the importance of building an inclusive and broad-based governance system in Afghanistan that reflects the interests of all segments of Afghan society.
- Pointed out that all terrorist groups, namely the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL), al-Qaeda, the Eastern Turkestan Islamic Movement (ETIM), the Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP), the Balochistan Liberation Army (BLA), Jundallah, Jaish al-Adl, Jamaat Ansarullah, the Islamic Movement of Uzbekistan (IMU), and other terrorist organisations based in Afghanistan continue to pose a serious threat to regional and global security.
- Emphasised the necessity for the international community to maintain dialogue and communication with Afghanistan and called for further measures to improve the living conditions of the people and expressed confidence that the Afghan authorities will respect fundamental human rights, including the rights of all ethnic groups, women, and children, and will provide every citizen of Afghanistan with equal rights to participate in the socio-political, economic and cultural life of the country.
Following this meeting, Qin Gang chaired the second informal meeting of foreign ministers of China, Russia, Pakistan, and Iran on the Afghan issue. Qin noted that the Cold War mentality and camp confrontation should be abandoned for the political settlement of the Afghan issue under the new situation, adding that all countries concerned should adhere to the principle of inseparable security, address both the symptoms and root causes, and guide the Afghan Taliban to exercise governance in a moderate and steady way through mutual respect, equal consultation and friendly dialogue.
China is ready to extend the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) and the China-Central Asia-West Asia Economic Corridor to Afghanistan within the framework of the Belt and Road Initiative, so as to transform Afghanistan from a land-locked country into a land-linked one.
At the meeting, the participants expressed deep concerns over the current situation in Afghanistan, urged the United States and Western countries to shoulder their due responsibilities, oppose creating chaos in Afghanistan, shirking responsibilities and instrumentalising humanitarian aid, and called on the Afghan Taliban to form a tolerant and inclusive government and safeguard women’s rights and interests.
In a joint statement following the meeting, the ministers reiterated respect for the sovereignty, independence and territorial integrity of Afghanistan, and support for the ‘Afghan-led, Afghan-owned’ principle to determine the country’s political future and development path, and pointed out that NATO countries should bear primary responsibility for the predicament in Afghanistan, should create opportunities for economic development and prosperity in Afghanistan, and should instantly lift unilateral sanctions against Afghanistan and return its overseas assets, for the benefit of Afghan people.
They also called on the Afghan authorities to promote inclusive governance with the practical participation of all ethnic groups and political entities, and to cancel all restrictive measures on women and ethnic minorities.
Qin Gang also took the opportunity to meet with Mawlawi Amir Khan Muttaqi, the acting foreign minister of the Afghan interim government, on the sidelines of the foreign ministers’ meetings.
Qin said that China always respects Afghanistan’s independence, sovereignty and territorial integrity, and the independent choice made by the Afghan people. China never interferes in Afghanistan’s internal affairs nor seeks personal gains in Afghanistan. China firmly supports the Afghan interim government to exercise inclusive and moderate governance, promote good-neighbourly relations, and to build Afghanistan into an oasis of peace and a place of development and prosperity on the Silk Road Economic Belt.
Qin stressed that the East Turkestan Islamic Movement (ETIM) is a terrorist organization listed by the UN Security Council and designated by the Chinese government in accordance with law. He expressed the hope that Afghanistan will fulfil its commitment to fighting terrorism and earnestly protect the safety of Chinese institutions and personnel in Afghanistan.
China is ready to deepen practical cooperation with Afghanistan, implement grant assistance to Afghanistan, advance cooperation through the Belt and Road Initiative, strengthen governance exchanges, help Afghanistan train professionals, carry out cooperation in drug control and alternative planting, and help Afghanistan enhance its capacity for independent and sustainable development.
For his part, Muttaqi thanked China for its long-term political support to Afghanistan. He said the Afghan Taliban appreciates and welcomes China’s release of the position paper on Afghanistan, respects China’s sovereignty and territorial integrity, understands China’s security concerns, will never allow any forces to use Afghan territory to harm China’s national interests, and will spare no efforts to protect the safety of Chinese institutions and citizens in Afghanistan.
Meanwhile, he expressed the hope to take an active part in jointly building the Belt and Road Initiative and strengthen bilateral economic and trade cooperation.
He congratulated China on successfully facilitating the historic reconciliation between Saudi Arabia and Iran, which demonstrates China’s global influence and sense of responsibility as a major country.
At a press conference following the quadripartite meeting between China, Russia, Pakistan and Iran, Qin Gang noted that since the Taliban came to power in Afghanistan, they have stressed on many occasions the need to respect and protect women’s rights and interests.
“We look forward to the implementation of these policies. We hope that the Taliban will pay attention to the concerns of the international community and solve relevant issues through friendly consultation with relevant parties,” Qin said.
Qin stressed that the issue of women’s rights and interests is very important, but it is not the whole issue of Afghanistan, nor is it the core or root cause of Afghanistan’s problems.
“We should neither turn a blind eye to this problem nor ignore it,” said Qin. “The international community should view the Afghan issue in a comprehensive, balanced and objective way.”
He said that two-thirds of the Afghan population is still hungry, and the Afghan people are still living under the shadow of terrorist threats and external interference.
“The Afghan issue requires a comprehensive, systematic solution. Only when the society is stable, safety is under control, and the economy develops, can women’s rights and interests be fundamentally protected.”
China maintains that the international community must continue to help Afghanistan develop its economy and improve people’s livelihood, continue to provide humanitarian and development assistance, and to promotes Afghanistan’s moderate and steady governance through dialogue and communication.
In this way, the basic rights and interests of all Afghan people, including women, children and ethnic minorities, can be effectively protected, the Chinese Foreign Minister concluded.
The following reports were originally published on the websites of the Chinese Foreign Ministry and the Xinhua News Agency.
China’s Position on the Afghan Issue
Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the People’s Republic of China, 12 April 2023
China and Afghanistan are close neighbors with longstanding friendship between the two peoples. Under the current situation, China’s position on the Afghan issue is as follows:
1.Adhering to the “Three Respects” and “Three Nevers”. China respects the independence, sovereignty and territorial integrity of Afghanistan, respects the independent choices made by the Afghan people, and respects the religious beliefs and national customs of Afghanistan. China never interferes in Afghanistan’s internal affairs, never seeks selfish interests in Afghanistan, and never pursues so-called sphere of influence.
2.Supporting moderate and prudent governance in Afghanistan. China sincerely hopes that Afghanistan could build an open and inclusive political structure, adopt moderate and prudent domestic and foreign policies, and engage in friendly exchanges with all countries especially neighboring countries. We hope the Afghan Interim Government will protect the basic rights and interests of all Afghan people, including women, children and all ethnic groups, and continue working actively to meet Afghan people’s interests and the international community’s expectations.
3.Supporting peace and reconstruction of Afghanistan. China will continue to do its best to help Afghanistan with reconstruction and development, make plans with Afghanistan and fulfill its assistance pledges, promote steady progress in economic, trade and investment cooperation, and actively carry out cooperation in such fields as medical care, poverty alleviation, agriculture, and disaster prevention and mitigation, so as to help Afghanistan realize independent and sustainable development at an early date. China welcomes Afghanistan’s participation in Belt and Road cooperation and supports Afghanistan’s integration into regional economic cooperation and connectivity that will transform Afghanistan from a “land-locked country” to a “land-linked country”.
4.Supporting Afghanistan in countering terrorism resolutely and forcefully. Security is the foundation and prerequisite of development. The East Turkestan Islamic Movement (ETIM) is a terrorist organization listed by the UN Security Council and designated by the Chinese government in accordance with law. The ETIM forces in Afghanistan pose a severe threat to the security of China, Afghanistan and the region. China hopes that Afghanistan will fulfill its commitment in earnest and take more effective measures to crack down on all terrorist forces including the ETIM with greater determination, and earnestly ensure the safety and security of citizens, institutions and projects of China and other countries in Afghanistan.
5.Calling for greater bilateral and multilateral counter-terrorism cooperation. As Afghanistan faces pronounced terrorism-related security issues, it is necessary for the international community to strengthen counter-terrorism security cooperation at both bilateral and multilateral levels and provide Afghanistan with much-needed supplies, equipment and technical assistance. Afghanistan should be supported in taking comprehensive measures to address both the symptoms and root causes of terrorism and prevent the country from again becoming a safe haven, breeding ground and source of terrorism.
6.Working together to fight terrorism, separatism and extremism in Afghanistan. Terrorism, separatism and extremism in Afghanistan remain a major security threat to the region and the world. China calls on the international community to firmly support Afghanistan’s fight against terrorism, separatism and extremism and its active measures to cut off the channels of terrorist financing, to counter recruitment and cross-border movement of terrorists and the spread of violent terrorist audio and video materials, to contain extremism, youth radicalization and the spread of terrorist ideologies, and to eliminate sleeper cells and terrorist safe havens.
7.Urging the US to live up to its commitments and responsibilities to Afghanistan. It is a widely-held view in the international community that, by seizing Afghanistan’s overseas assets and imposing unilateral sanctions, the US, which created the Afghan issue in the first place, is the biggest external factor that hinders substantive improvement in the humanitarian situation in Afghanistan. The US should draw lessons from what happened in Afghanistan, face squarely the grave humanitarian, economic and security risks and challenges in Afghanistan, immediately lift its sanctions, return the Afghan overseas assets, and deliver its pledged humanitarian aid to meet the emergency needs of the Afghan people.
8.Opposing external interference and infiltration in Afghanistan. It is a shared view of regional countries that the military interference and “democratic transformation” by external forces in Afghanistan over the past 20-odd years have inflicted enormous losses and pain on Afghanistan. It will be difficult to eliminate the negative impacts for many years to come. To help Afghanistan achieve sustained peace and stability, relevant countries should not attempt to re-deploy military facilities in Afghanistan and its neighbourhood, practice double standards on counter-terrorism, or advance their geopolitical agenda by supporting or conniving at terrorism.
9.Strengthening international and regional coordination on the Afghan issue. Under the new circumstances, Afghanistan should be a platform for cooperation among various parties rather than geopolitical games. China supports all plans and measures that are conducive to political settlement of the Afghan issue, and will actively engage in multilateral coordination through such mechanisms and platforms as the Foreign Ministers’ Meeting on the Afghan Issue among the Neighboring Countries of Afghanistan, the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO)-Afghanistan Contact Group, the Moscow Format Consultations on Afghanistan, the China-Afghanistan-Pakistan Trilateral Foreign Ministers’ Dialogue, the Informal Meeting of China-Russia-Pakistan-Iran Foreign Ministers on Afghanistan, the Troika Plus Meeting and the United Nations, in an effort to build consensus and synergy for stability in and assistance to Afghanistan at regional and international levels.
10.Facilitating solution to Afghanistan’s humanitarian and refugee issues. China is concerned about the situation of Afghan refugees and will continue to provide assistance through bilateral and multilateral channels. China supports relevant UN agencies in playing a positive role in this regard, applauds the efforts by regional countries, and calls on the international community to provide continuous humanitarian and development assistance to jointly help Afghanistan rebuild its economy and create favorable conditions for the final settlement of the refugee issue.
11.Supporting Afghanistan’s fight against narcotics. China looks forward to and supports more concrete actions by Afghanistan to counter narcotics cultivation, production and illicit trafficking, and will work with the international community to help Afghanistan with alternative development and crackdown on cross-border drug-related crimes, so as to eliminate the source of narcotics in the region.
Uzbek President Shavkat Mirziyoyev Meets with Qin Gang
Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the People’s Republic of China, 14 April 2023
On April 12, 2023 local time, Uzbek President Shavkat Mirziyoyev met with State Councilor and Foreign Minister Qin Gang in Tashkent.
Mirziyoyev asked Qin Gang to convey his sincere greetings to President Xi Jinping and extended congratulations on President Xi Jinping’s unanimous reelection as president of China, noting that this has demonstrated all Chinese people’s heartfelt and full support for the able leadership of President Xi Jinping. As a good friend standing shoulder to shoulder and a close and reliable partner, Uzbekistan is heartened by China’s remarkable achievements. Last year, President Xi Jinping paid a successful and historic visit to Uzbekistan, elevating Uzbekistan-China relations to an unprecedented height. Uzbekistan cherishes China’s support for the building of a “New Uzbekistan”, and will stay committed to the one-China principle, jointly crack down on the three forces of terrorism, separatism and extremism, and join hands to build a human community with a shared future. Uzbekistan will make good preparations for the meeting of the Uzbekistan-China Intergovernmental Cooperation Committee, implement the China-Kyrgyzstan-Uzbekistan Railway project at a faster pace, expand cooperation in such areas as economy, trade, new energy, infrastructure development, people-to-people and cultural exchanges and at sub-national levels, and draw on China’s development experience and innovative science and technology. Mirziyoyev said he looks forward to attending the China-Central Asia Summit and the third Belt and Road Forum for International Cooperation in China.
Qin Gang conveyed President Xi Jinping’s cordial greetings to President Mirziyoyev and welcomed President Mirziyoyev to China to attend the China-Central Asia Summit and the third Belt and Road Forum for International Cooperation. Qin Gang said that President Xi Jinping and President Mirziyoyev agreed to advance the building of a human community with a shared future on bilateral level, which has given new characterization to bilateral relations. China is ready to work with Uzbekistan to follow the guidance of this common understanding between the two presidents and continuously elevate China-Uzbekistan relations to new heights. The two sides need to follow through on the five-year plan for economic, trade and investment cooperation, and make continued efforts on top of meeting the $10 billion bilateral trade target set by the two heads of state. The two sides need to further synergize development strategies at a faster pace, and strive for an early start of the construction of the China-Kyrgyzstan-Uzbekistan railway to boost regional connectivity. A poverty-alleviation cooperation sub-committee will be set up to help Uzbekistan achieve its poverty-alleviation goals at an early date. Efforts should also be made to expand new-energy cooperation, optimize energy structure and ensure energy security. Sub-national and non-governmental exchanges and cooperation should be encouraged and supported to consolidate the foundation of friendship between the two peoples.
Qin Gang stressed that China highly appreciates Uzbekistan’s valuable support on issues concerning China’s core interests. China also firmly supports Uzbekistan in safeguarding sovereignty, independence and territorial integrity, backs Uzbekistan’s efforts to advance reform and development, and opposes any external interference in Uzbekistan’s internal affairs. China is ready to coordinate closely with Uzbekistan to jointly crack down on the three forces of terrorism, separatism and extremism and safeguard peace and tranquility in both countries and the region.
Qin Gang said that China appreciates Uzbekistan’s contributions to the preparation of the Fourth Foreign Ministers’ Meeting on the Afghan Issue among the Neighboring Countries of Afghanistan, and stands ready to collaborate closely with Uzbekistan to ensure the success of the meeting.
On the same day, Qin Gang also held talks with Uzbek Acting Foreign Minister Bakhtiyor Saidov.
Chinese FM attends 4th foreign ministers’ meeting of Afghanistan’s neighboring countries
Chinese State Councilor and Foreign Minister Qin Gang on Thursday attended the fourth foreign ministers’ meeting among neighboring countries of Afghanistan in the Uzbek city of Samarkand.
The meeting was chaired by Acting Minister of Foreign Affairs of Uzbekistan Bakhtiyor Saidov, and attended by Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov, Iranian Foreign Minister Hossein Amir-Abdollahian, Tajik Foreign Minister Sirojiddin Muhriddin, First Deputy Foreign Minister of Turkmenistan Vepa Hajiyev, and Pakistan’s Minister of State for Foreign Affairs Hina Rabbani Khar.
Qin said that the current situation in Afghanistan is characterized by concerns amid stability as well as turmoil, and is in a critical period of domestic and foreign policy adjustment and transformation, which calls for more attention and input from the international community, especially its neighbors.
“All parties should demonstrate the spirit of good-neighborliness, friendship and mutual assistance, push forward the implementation of the outcomes of previous foreign ministers’ meetings, and speak with one voice on supporting Afghanistan’s reconstruction and development and promoting regional security and stability,” said Qin.
Qin stressed that the long-standing Afghan issue is the result of both “old diseases that have not been cured” and “new ones,” and that Afghanistan’s neighboring countries should play a leading role in helping Afghanistan overcome difficulties and challenges and achieve stable development.
Qin put forward a four-point proposal.
The first is to crack down on the terrorist forces in Afghanistan, remove the breeding ground for terrorism at its source, and resolutely prevent Afghanistan from becoming a sanctuary, breeding ground and spreading source of terrorism again.
“At the same time, we need to deepen regional cooperation on counterterrorism, drug control and refugees, strengthen border control, and jointly help Afghanistan enhance its counterterrorism capabilities to effectively curb cross-border terrorist flows and destabilization,” he noted.
Second, the United States should fulfill its responsibilities. The United States is the initiator of the Afghan problem and has yet to reflect on the serious harm it has caused to the Afghan people. The United States should immediately lift unilateral sanctions against Afghanistan and return Afghanistan’s overseas funds.
Third, he called on Afghan Taliban to build inclusive governance. On the basis of respecting the independence, sovereignty and national self-esteem of Afghanistan, the neighbors should guide the Afghan Taliban to follow the trend of the times, learn from the mature practices of other Muslim countries, and show more inclusiveness and progressiveness in the establishment and specific governance of political power.
The fourth is to carry out practical cooperation related to Afghanistan.
The neighboring parties will speed up the implementation of the Tunxi Initiative, support Afghanistan in leveraging its geographical advantage as the “heart of Asia,” integrate itself into regional connectivity and economic integration, and enhance its capacity for independent and sustainable development.
Qin said that China will continue to provide support within its capacity for the reconstruction of Afghanistan, and is willing to work with neighboring countries to adhere to the principles of amity, sincerity, mutual benefit and inclusiveness, be kind to neighbors and act as their partners, deepen friendship, mutual trust and integration of interests with neighboring countries, join hands to properly solve the Afghan issue, and be committed to the security and common development of the region.
The participating parties conducted in-depth discussions on the Afghan issue, and agreed that the meeting of neighboring foreign ministers is held at the right time. Countries in the region, which share a common destiny, should strengthen coordination and cooperation, jointly implement the Tunxi Initiative and promote regional connectivity.
They noted that it’s necessary to maintain communication with the Afghan interim government, guide it to fulfill its internal and external commitments and build an inclusive and moderate government, protect women’s rights, restore the economy, and improve people’s livelihood. They called on Afghan Taliban to pay attention to and respond to the major concerns of neighboring countries, and effectively combat terrorism and drug trafficking.
They also expressed opposition to external forces undermining the security and stability of Afghanistan and the region, the evasion of responsibility by the country which bears the primary responsibility for the current situation in Afghanistan, and its closing the door to contact and dialogue with the Afghan side.
The meeting issued the Samarkand declaration of the fourth foreign ministers’ meeting among the neighboring countries of Afghanistan.
After the meeting, Qin attended the “Neighboring Countries of Afghanistan Plus Afghanistan” foreign ministers’ dialogue.
On the same day, Qin chaired the second informal meeting of foreign ministers of China, Russia, Pakistan and Iran on the Afghan issue, and respectively met with Lavrov, and Mawlawi Amir Khan Muttaqi, acting foreign minister of the Afghan interim government.
SAMARKAND DECLARATION of the Fourth Meeting of Foreign Ministers of Afghanistan’s Neighboring States
Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the People’s Republic of China, 14 April 2023
The Fourth Meeting of Foreign Ministers of Afghanistan’s Neighboring States was held on April 13, 2023 in Samarkand, the Republic of Uzbekistan.
The foreign ministers and senior officials of China, Iran, Pakistan, Russia, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan attended the meeting.
In a frank and pragmatic atmosphere of mutual understanding, the Parties held a comprehensive, deep and constructive discussion of the current situation in Afghanistan, the prospects for its development, and stated the following:
The Parties reaffirmed the commitment to the development of Afghanistan as a peaceful, united, sovereign and independent state, free from the threats of terrorism and drug trafficking.
The Parties noted the importance of building an inclusive and broad-based governance system in Afghanistan that reflects the interests of all segments of Afghan society.
The Parties noted that the terrorism-related security situation in Afghanistan was still severe and reaffirmed their commitment to enhance cooperation on counter-terrorism and security among neighboring countries and to develop a united front against terrorism.
The Parties pointed out that all terrorist groups, namely the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL), Al-Qaeda, the Eastern Turkistan Islamic Movement (ETIM), the Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP), the Balochistan Liberation Army (BLA), Jundallah, Jaish al-Adl, Jamaat Ansarullah, the Islamic Movement of Uzbekistan (IMU), and other terrorist organizations based in Afghanistan continue to pose a serious threat to regional and global security.
The Parties stressed the importance of combating the drug threat and called for support for the development of drug crop substitution programs, as well as for combating drug production and trafficking.
The Parties emphasized the necessity for the international community to maintain dialogue and communication with Afghanistan and called for further measures to improve the living conditions of the people and expressed confidence that the Afghan authorities will respect fundamental human rights, including the rights of all ethnic groups, women and children, and will provide every citizen of Afghanistan with equal rights to participate in the socio-political, economic and cultural life of the country.
The parties noted the relevance of coordinating regional and international efforts to ensure security and stability in the region, emphasizing the positive contribution of existing regional forums, including the Tashkent International Conference “Afghanistan: Security and Economic Development” and the Moscow Format Consultations on Afghanistan.
The Parties expressed their deep concern about the humanitarian situation and the poor economic situation in the country, declaring their readiness to continue providing humanitarian assistance to the Afghan people and providing support for the economic reconstruction of Afghanistan.
The Parties noted the key role of the United Nations in providing humanitarian assistance to Afghanistan, calling on the international community to intensify emergency humanitarian assistance to the people of Afghanistan.
The Parties reaffirmed the importance of countering attempts to politicize the provision of humanitarian assistance needed by the people of Afghanistan and stressed that the distribution and use of humanitarian assistance should serve for the benefit of the ordinary Afghan people.
The Parties emphasized that assistance to Kabul in restoring the national economy will allow creating decent living conditions for the population and reducing the flow of migration abroad.
The Parties noted the fundamental significance of major international energy, transport, communication, infrastructure and other projects implemented by neighboring countries for socio-economic development of Afghanistan and its active integration into the world economy.
The Parties took note of the initiative of Uzbekistan to create an International Negotiation Group under the auspices of the UN and Tajikistan’s initiative on creating a “security belt” around Afghanistan, and look forward to receiving comprehensive concept notes from the initiators.
Urged the countries mainly responsible for the current predicament in Afghanistan to earnestly fulfill commitments on the economic recovery and future development of Afghanistan.
The parties reaffirmed the launch of three working group meetings namely political and diplomatic, economic and humanitarian, security and stability at an early date.
The Parties expressed gratitude and appreciation to Uzbekistan for holding the Fourth Meeting of Foreign Ministers at a high organizational level, and supported the proposal to hold the Fifth Meeting of Foreign Ministers in Ashgabat in 2024, or at an earlier date, if needed.
Chinese FM chairs 2nd informal meeting of foreign ministers of China, Russia, Pakistan and Iran on Afghan issue
Chinese State Councilor and Foreign Minister Qin Gang on Thursday chaired the second informal meeting of foreign ministers of China, Russia, Pakistan and Iran on the Afghan issue in Samarkand, Uzbekistan.
Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov, Iranian Foreign Minister Hossein Amir-Abdollahian and Pakistan’s Minister of State for Foreign Affairs Hina Rabbani Khar attended the meeting.
During the meeting, Qin said that since the first informal meeting of foreign ministers of the four countries on the Afghan issue in September 2021, China, Russia, Pakistan and Iran, as the core force of regional coordination on Afghanistan issue, have worked together to effectively guarantee the smooth transition of the situation in Afghanistan. Meanwhile, although the war in Afghanistan has ended, the Afghan issue is far from being resolved. Afghanistan is now at a critical stage of transition from chaos to governance and still faces many challenges.
Qin noted that China has recently issued The Global Security Initiative Concept Paper and China’s Position on the Afghan Issue, which advocate spirit of solidarity to adapt to the profoundly adjusting international pattern, call for a win-win approach to address complex security challenges, and reiterate political solutions to Afghanistan and other international and regional hot issues.
The Cold War mentality and camp confrontation should be abandoned for the political settlement of the Afghan issue under the new situation, Qin stressed, adding that all countries concerned should adhere to the principle of inseparable security, address both the symptoms and root causes, and guide the Afghan Taliban to exercise governance in a moderate and steady way through mutual respect, equal consultation and friendly dialogue.
China, Russia, Pakistan and Iran should work together to enhance the international community to pay more attention to terrorism-related security issues in Afghanistan, make consensus and joint efforts to combat the “three forces of evil,” and help Afghanistan effectively address terrorist threats and draw a clear distinction from all terrorist forces.
The four countries will encourage and support Afghanistan in pursuing a modernization path suited for its national conditions, and help Afghanistan enhance self-development capacity and integrate itself into the regional economy.
China is ready to extend the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor and the China-Central Asia-West Asia Economic Corridor to Afghanistan within the framework of the Belt and Road Initiative, so as to transform Afghanistan from a land-locked country into a land-linked one, Qin said.
At the meeting, the participants expressed deep concerns over the current situation in Afghanistan, urged the United States and Western countries to shoulder their due responsibilities, oppose creating chaos in Afghanistan, shirking responsibilities and instrumentalizing humanitarian aid, and called on Afghan Taliban to form a tolerant and inclusive government and safeguard women’s rights and interests.
All parties of the meeting expressed their willingness to strengthen communication and coordination, leverage the unique role of the four countries and the four-country mechanism, and guide the international community to jointly help Afghanistan achieve peace and development at an early date.
Joint Statement of the Second Informal Meeting on Afghanistan Between Foreign Ministers of China, Russia, Pakistan and Iran
Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the People’s Republic of China, 14 April 2023
On 13 April 2023, the Foreign Ministers of the People’s Republic of China, the Russian Federation, the Islamic Republic of Pakistan and the Islamic Republic of Iran, held the Second informal Meeting on Afghanistan in Samarkand, the Republic of Uzbekistan.
The Ministers Reiterated respect for the sovereignty, independence and territorial integrity of Afghanistan, and support for the “Afghan-led, Afghan-owned” principle to determine the country’s political future and development path; and underscored that all members of the international community have interests in a stable and peaceful Afghanistan, a country that should be a venue for international cooperation rather than a stage for geopolitical rivalries.
The Ministers emphasized their deep concerns regarding the terrorism-related security situation in Afghanistan, pointed out that all terrorist groups, namely the Islamic State Khorasan Province (ISIS-KP), Al-Qaeda, the Eastern Turkistan Islamic Movement (ETIM), the Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP), the Balochistan Liberation Army (BLA), Jaish al-Adl etc. based in Afghanistan continue to pose a serious threat to regional and global security.
The Ministers took note of the Afghan Interim Government’s efforts to counter ISIS-KP, and urged it to take more visible and verifiable measures in upholding its stated commitments on counter-terrorism, dismantling and eliminating all sorts of terrorist groups, with a view to preventing the soil of Afghanistan from being used by any terrorist group.
The Ministers emphasized that, the Afghan authority should take effective measures to protect the safety, security and legitimate rights of foreign institutions and citizens. Any person responsible for any attack and threat to attack foreign institutions and citizens should be held responsible.
The Ministers pointed out that NATO countries should bear primary responsibility for the predicament in Afghanistan, should create opportunities for economic development and prosperity in Afghanistan, should instantly lift unilateral sanctions against Afghanistan and return its overseas assets, for the benefits of Afghan people.
The Ministers stressed that, dialogue and consultation is the only way out for the political settlement of the Afghan issue. Firmly opposed the reestablishment of military bases in and around Afghanistan by these countries responsible for the current situation, which is not conducive to regional peace and stability.
The Ministers called on the Afghan authority to promote inclusive governance with the practical participation of all ethnic groups and political entities, and to cancel all restrictive measures on women and ethnic minorities. Encouraged Afghanistan to maintain a friendly and cooperative foreign policy, abide by international laws, and coexist in harmony with neighboring countries and all countries in the world.
The Ministers emphasized that a peaceful, stable and secured border among Afghanistan and its neighbors is vital and in the interests of all sides. Illegal cross-border activities should be monitored and prevented. Cross-border issues including water issue with neighbors should be handled properly through dialogue and consultation.
The Ministers supported all diplomatic efforts conducive to facilitating the political settlement in Afghan issues, and support the international community, in particular the United Nations, the Shanghai Cooperation Organization and the Foreign Ministers’ Meeting among Neighboring Countries of Afghanistan, Moscow Format Consultations, in playing a positive role in this regard.
The Ministers expressed all readiness to continue to support peace and reconstruction in Afghanistan, and support Afghanistan to conduct economic and trade exchanges as well as investment cooperation with countries in the region and the international community. Called on the international community to continue providing humanitarian assistance to Afghanistan, and help the country strengthen capacity for self-driven and sustainable development.
The Ministers expressed appreciation for the hospitalities to millions of Afghans from Pakistan and Iran, called on the international community to provide those countries with necessary support and assistance.
The Ministers decided to strengthen coordination on Afghanistan at different levels.
China is ready to deepen practical cooperation with Afghanistan: Qin Gang
Chinese State Councilor and Foreign Minister Qin Gang on Thursday met with Mawlawi Amir Khan Muttaqi, the acting foreign minister of the Afghan interim government, on the sidelines of the foreign ministers’ meetings of Afghanistan’s neighboring countries in Samarkand, Uzbekistan.
Qin said that China always respects Afghanistan’s independence, sovereignty and territorial integrity, and the independent choice made by the Afghan people. China never interferes in Afghanistan’s internal affairs or seeks personal gains in Afghanistan. China firmly supports the Afghan interim government to exercise inclusive and moderate governance, promote good-neighborly relations, and build Afghanistan into an oasis of peace and a place of development and prosperity on the Silk Road Economic Belt. It is hoped that Afghanistan positively responds to the concerns of its neighbors and further build up consensus among them on helping with Afghanistan’s reconstruction and development.
Qin stressed that the East Turkestan Islamic Movement (ETIM) is a terrorist organization listed by the UN Security Council and designated by the Chinese government in accordance with law. He expressed the hope that Afghanistan fulfills its commitment to fighting terrorism and earnestly protect the safety of Chinese institutions and personnel in Afghanistan.
China is ready to deepen practical cooperation with Afghanistan, implement grant assistance to Afghanistan, advance cooperation of the Belt and Road Initiative, strengthen governance exchanges, help Afghanistan train professionals, carry out cooperation in drug control and alternative planting, and help Afghanistan enhance its capacity for independent and sustainable development, Qin said.
For his part, Muttaqi thanked China for its long-term political support to Afghanistan. He said Afghan Taliban appreciates and welcomes China’s release of the position paper on Afghanistan, respects China’s sovereignty and territorial integrity, understands China’s security concerns, will never allow any forces to use Afghan territory to harm China’s national interests, and will spare no efforts to protect the safety of Chinese institutions and citizens in Afghanistan.
Meanwhile, he expressed the hope to take an active part in jointly building the Belt and Road Initiative and strengthen bilateral economic and trade cooperation.
He congratulated China on successfully facilitating the historic reconciliation between Saudi Arabia and Iran, which demonstrates China’s global influence and sense of responsibility as a major country.
Int’l community should see Afghan issue in comprehensive, balanced, objective way: Qin Gang
The international community should view the Afghan issue in a comprehensive, balanced and objective way, Chinese State Councilor and Foreign Minister Qin Gang said on Thursday.
At a press conference held after the second informal meeting of the foreign ministers of China, Russia, Pakistan and Iran, Qin answered a question about China’s view on the Afghan authorities’ ban on Afghan women working for UN agencies in Afghanistan.
Qin said that UN agencies have played an important role in coordinating various countries’ positions on Afghanistan and promoting international support for Afghanistan.
He said that China and other friendly neighbors of Afghanistan are concerned about the recent policies and measures taken by the Afghan side and their possible impact on the basic rights and interests of Afghan women, the humanitarian situation and international cooperation.
Qin noted that since the Taliban came to power in Afghanistan, they have stressed on many occasions the need to respect and protect women’s rights and interests.
“We look forward to the implementation of these policies. We hope that Taliban will pay attention to the concerns of the international community and solve relevant issues through friendly consultation with relevant parties,” said Qin.
Qin stressed that the issue of women’s rights and interests is very important, but it is not the whole issue of Afghanistan, nor is it the core or root cause of Afghanistan’s problems.
“We should neither turn a blind eye to this problem nor ignore it,” said Qin. “The international community should view the Afghan issue in a comprehensive, balanced and objective way.”
He said that two-thirds of the Afghan population is still hungry, and the Afghan people are still living under the shadow of terrorist threats and external interference.
“The Afghan issue requires a comprehensive, systematic solution,” said Qin. “Only when the society is stable, safety is under control, and the economy develops, can women’s rights and interests be fundamentally protected.”
China maintains that the international community continues to help Afghanistan develop its economy and improve people’s livelihood, continues to provide humanitarian and development assistance, and promotes Afghanistan’s moderate and steady governance through dialogue and communication, said Qin.
In this way, the basic rights and interests of all Afghan people, including women, children and ethnic minorities, can be effectively protected, he concluded.
