China pledges more support for Afghanistan's development

Kabul, July 26 (IANS) China would like to see a smooth transition of power in Afghanistan and will give more support for the country's reconciliation and economic development, China's newly-appointed Special Envoy for Afghan Affairs Sun Yuxi said here Friday.

Sun said he had had talks with President Hamid Karzai and presidential candidates -- former foreign minister Abdullah Abdullah and former finance minister Ashraf Ghani -- on separate occasions since his arrival Wednesday, Xinhua reported.

Both candidates promised him they had reached some agreement and consensus and will work to push forward the country's peace process and support the formation of a government of ethnic unity, Sun said.

"They both are expected to further Afghanistan-China friendship, " he added.

"We believe that the Afghan people can handle them well themselves, and we hope to contribute more to boosting regional cooperation and the country's reconciliation," the special envoy said referring to the internal affairs of Afghanistan.

China will host the Afghanistan Istanbul Process Foreign Ministers' Meeting in its northern port city of Tianjin this year. Sun said the Chinese side hopes to take this opportunity to discuss future cooperation with Afghanistan's new president and foreign minister.

Sun, a career diplomat who served as China's ambassador to Afghanistan between 2002 and 2004 and ambassador to India, Italy and Poland, will also visit Pakistan, Russia, India and some other countries.