China says it is willing to deepen counter-terrorism and security cooperation with Afghanistan and to help Kabul strengthen its counter-terrorism capacities.

In a phone conversation on Monday night, China’s Foreign Minister Wang Yi told his Afghan counterpart Haneef Atmar that China will also continue to provide necessary support to Afghanistan and other South Asian countries in their fight against the pandemic.

According to a statement issued by China’s foreign ministry, Wang said the China-Afghanistan strategic cooperative partnership has maintained a momentum of development, the Belt and Road cooperation has made continuous progress, and traditional friendship between the two countries has been enhanced in the joint fight against COVID-19 pandemic.

Wang also said: “China appreciates Afghanistan’s firm support for China to safeguard its core interests, and will as always speak up for the independence, sovereignty and dignity of Afghanistan.”

Wang said China will continue to support the Afghan government in playing a leading role in the country’s peace and reconciliation process, and call on all parties to support and implement relevant United Nations Security Council resolutions “to promote a smooth transition of the situation in Afghanistan, to avoid in particular a resurgence of terrorist forces”.

“The international community and regional countries should uphold justice and fairness and help the Afghan people maintain and consolidate the fruits of peace and reconstruction in the country,” he said.

Wang went on to say that “China supports all parties in Afghanistan to continue to push forward negotiations among the Afghan people themselves and establish a broad and inclusive political framework for the future based on the principles of political settlement, putting peace first and advancing step by step.

“In this process, all parties should maintain patience and goodwill, strive to stop violence and cease fire, and create a favorable environment for peace talks,” he said.

He also noted that “China hopes that Afghanistan’s future leadership will pursue a moderate Muslim policy, promote a foreign policy of peace, maintain friendship with neighboring countries, and firmly combat all forms of terrorism. China will continue to play a constructive role in advancing the peace and reconciliation process in Afghanistan”.

Atmar meanwhile said Afghanistan is firmly committed to strengthening its relations with China, and hopes to conduct strategic dialogue and communication with China on deepening bilateral pragmatic and counter-terrorism cooperation as well as advancing regional cooperation.