Tang Hails Progress of Afghanistan

China expressed happiness that, under Afghan interim leader Hamid Karzai and his interim government, Afghanistan has made great progress in a short period of time in promoting peace, establishing a government and carrying out reconstruction.

Visiting Chinese Foreign Minister Tang Jiaxuan made the remarks on Wednesday when he met Karzai.

Tang also conveyed greetings to Karzai from Chinese President Jiang Zemin and Premier Zhu Rongji.

China believes peace and reconstruction are the two major tasks for Afghanistan, said Tang. As a neighbor, China sincerely hopes all parties in Afghanistan will bear in mind national interests and work for peace.

China hopes a broad-based and widely representative transitional government will be selected at the upcoming Emergency Loya Jirga -- a grand assembly -- said Tang.

Tang said there is a long history of friendly contact between China and Afghanistan. China has only one goal in Afghanistan: to promote peace and development, he said. Karzai described China as a true great friend of Afghanistan.

Karzai thanked China for its unselfish assistance to Afghanistan and appreciated China's participation in Afghanistan's reconstruction. He said his country welcomes more Chinese companies to Afghanistan for business.

Both Karzai and Tang reiterated their common stance on fighting against terrorists advocating the so-called East Turkistan.

On Wednesday, Pakistani President General Pervez Musharraf received Tang in his office in Rawalpindi.

Tang said the Chinese Government is willing to join hands with Pakistan to sincerely implement the common visions reached by leaders of the two countries and further the friendship between the two countries.

Musharraf gave a brief introduction about the developments in South Asia, and the steps and efforts taken by Pakistan to dissolve the tense relations between Pakistan and India.

(China Daily May 16, 2002)