Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao said here on Friday that China would further
enhance its friendship with Afghanistan and that it was ready to provide
assistance for the postwar economic and social reconstruction of the country.
On the sidelines of the fifth prime ministers' meeting of the Shanghai
Cooperation Organization (SCO), the Chinese premier met with Ahmad Zia Massoud,
first vice president of Afghanistan, which is an SCO observer.
In the meeting, Wen said China pledged to provide 80-million-yuan assistance
(about 10 million U.S. dollars) to Afghanistan this year, and that China had
offered zero-tariff privileges to 278 products from Afghanistan from July 1,
2006.
He said China supported Afghanistan's efforts in safeguarding its sovereignty
and independence and hoped Afghanistan could finally realize peace and
stability.
Massoud said the Afghan government and people had appreciated the aid
provided by their Chinese friends over many years, and hoped China could
participate in all areas of Afghanistan's reconstruction, especially in terms of
increased investment in the fields of transportation and energy.
Massoud also hoped to strengthen cultural and education exchanges with China.
The SCO groups China, Russia, Uzbekistan, Tajikistan, Kyrgyzstan and
Kazakhstan, with Pakistan, Mongolia, Iran and India holding observer status.
The Chinese premier on Friday also met with his Kyrgyzstan counterpart Felix
Kulov on bilateral economic and trade issues. Kulov pledged to help create a
favorable environment for their two countries' bilateral economic
cooperation.
