China and Afghanistan signed 12 agreements in Beijing on Tuesday
during Afghan President Hamid Karzai's China visit, pledging to
strengthen bilateral security and economic cooperation.
The agreements, according to a joint statement, covered
political cooperation, security matters, a military training
program, a campaign against cross-border crime, economic and trade
cooperation, investment, tariffs, aviation, agriculture, and
cultural heritage protection.
China would support Afghanistan in fighting terrorism and
maintaining stability, and jointly combat the "three evil forces"
of separatism, extremism and terrorism, as well as organized crime,
illegal migration, and drugs and weapons trafficking, the statement
said.
The two governments agreed to establish a China-Afghanistan
Joint Economic and Trade Committee to boost cooperation in
infrastructure construction, including natural resource
development, power generation and roads.
To encourage Afghanistan's exports to China, the Chinese
government would grant zero-tariff treatment to 278 Afghan export
items as of July 1.
"The two sides will continue to explore new channels and ways to
expand and deepen trade and economic cooperation," the statement
said.
China also promised to offer training for 200 Afghan
professionals in the next two years and would give 30 government
scholarships to Afghanistan annually from 2007 to support its
national reconstruction.
The Chinese government reiterated that it would continue to
support and take an active part in Afghanistan's economic
reconstruction, announcing that it would provide Afghanistan with
another 80 million yuan (US$10 million) gratis this year.
The two countries pledged to enhance cooperation within some
regional organizations such as the Shanghai Cooperation
Organization (SCO) and the South Asian Association for Regional
Cooperation (SAARC).
"The Chinese side appreciated the efforts of the Afghan side in
promoting regional cooperation and welcomed Afghanistan's
relationship with the Shanghai Cooperation Organization within the
context of Contact Group Protocol and is ready to enter into
cooperation in pragmatic terms with the Afghan side within the
framework of regional cooperation," said the statement.
Afghanistan reiterated its adherence to the one-China policy in
the statement, stressing Taiwan was an inalienable part of
China.
"The Afghan side expressed support for China's efforts in
safeguarding sovereignty and territorial integrity and its
opposition to any attempt by the Taiwan authorities to create 'two
Chinas,' 'one China, one Taiwan' or 'Taiwan independence,'
including 'de jure Taiwan independence,'" the statement said.
(Xinhua News Agency June 21, 2006)
