Joint Statement Between The People’s
Republic of China And The Islamic Republic of Afghanistan
06/20/2006
?. At the invitation of President Hu Jintao of
the People’s Republic of China, Hamid Karzai, President
of the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan, paid a state visit to
the People’s Republic of China from 18 to 21 June 2006.
?. President Hu Jintao held official talks with
President Karzai. Mr. Wu Bangguo, Chairman of the Standing Committee
of the National People’s Congress and Mr. Jia Qinglin,
Chairman of the National Committee of the Chinese People’s
Political Consultative Conference, met with President Karzai
respectively. In a cordial and friendly atmosphere, the leaders
of the two countries had in-depth exchange of views and reached
broad agreement on expanding and deepening China-Afghanistan
relationship of good-neighborliness, friendship and cooperation,
on international and regional issues of mutual interest.
During his visit, President Karzai gave two speeches
to representatives of the Chinese academic and intellectual
communities at the China Institute of Contemporary International
Relations and Beijing University. He met with business leaders
of the two countries to brief them on trade and investment opportunities
in Afghanistan and had numerous interviews with the Chinese
media.
?. The leaders of the two countries spoke highly
of the growth of bilateral relations since the establishment
of diplomatic ties in 1955 and expressed satisfaction with the
rapid resumption and fast growth of bilateral relations after
the formation of the Interim Administration of Afghanistan.
Both sides held that enhancing China-Afghanistan good-neighborly
relationship and mutually beneficial cooperation serves the
fundamental interests of the two countries and their peoples,
and contributes to peace, stability and development of the region
and the world at large. The two sides agreed to establish China-Afghanistan
Comprehensive and Cooperative Partnership in order to consolidate
their traditional friendship and broaden cooperation in all
fields.
?.The two sides reaffirmed the guiding role of
the Treaty of Friendship and Non-Aggression Between the People’s
Republic of China and the Kingdom of Afghanistan signed in 1960
in deepening the bilateral relationship and agreed to sign,
on that basis, the Treaty of Good-Neighborliness and Friendly
Cooperation Between the People’s Republic of China and
the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan. The two sides agreed to
abide by the principles of the Treaty and continue to enrich
the partnership of all-round cooperation for the benefit of
the two countries and their peoples and in the interest of peace,
stability and development in the region.
?. The Chinese side spoke highly of the achievements
made by the Afghan Government and people in the peace process
and economic reconstruction over the past four years since the
beginning of the Bonn Process. The Chinese side expressed the
hope and belief that with the concerted efforts of the Afghan
Government and people, Afghanistan will realize enduring peace
and prosperity in the nearest future. The Chinese side reiterated
that it will continue to support and take an active part in
Afghanistan’s economic reconstruction. China will provide
Afghanistan with another 80 million RMB gratis this year. On
behalf of the Afghan Government and people, President Karzai
extended sincere thanks to the Chinese Government and people
for their long time and selfless help to Afghanistan’s
peaceful reconstruction.
?. The two sides held that trade and economic
relations are an important part of China-Afghanistan good-neighborliness
and friendly cooperation. To strengthen their trade and economic
ties, the two sides decided to sign the Agreement on Trade and
Economic Cooperation between the Government of the People’s
Republic of China and the Government of the Islamic Republic
of Afghanistan, establish the China-Afghanistan Joint Economic
and Trade Committee. Both parties agree to intensify cooperation
in infrastructural areas such as natural resources development,
power generation and road construction. To help increase Afghanistan’s
export to China, the Chinese side announced that it would grant
zero-tariff treatment to 278 items of Afghan exports to China
as of 1 July 2006. The two sides will continue to explore new
channels and ways to expand and deepen trade and economic cooperation.
?. The two sides agreed to expand cooperation
in agriculture, culture, education, transportation, energy and
investment on the basis of equality and mutual benefit. To support
Afghanistan’s national reconstruction, the Chinese side
will train 200 Afghan professionals in the coming two years
and will offer 30 government scholarships to Afghanistan annually
starting from 2007.
?.The two sides emphasized that strengthening
cooperation in national defense, security and police affairs
is an important part of their bilateral relationship. They will
actively enhance cooperation in pragmatic terms in the aforementioned
fields.
?. The Afghan side reaffirmed that there is only
one China in the world that the Government of the People’s
Republic of China is the sole legal Government representing
the whole of China and that Taiwan is an inalienable part of
the Chinese territory. The Afghan side expressed support to
China’s efforts in safeguarding sovereignty and territorial
integrity and its opposition to any attempt of the Taiwan authorities
to create “two Chinas”, “one China, one Taiwan”
or “Taiwan independence”, including “de jure
Taiwan independence”. The Chinese side reiterated that
it respects the independence, sovereignty and territorial integrity
of Afghanistan, supports its efforts to safeguard its independence,
sovereignty, territorial integrity and internal security, and
opposes any attempt that will jeopardize Afghanistan’s
stability.
?. Both sides agreed that terrorism constitutes
an international menace, as it poses a grave threat to world
peace and security. China and Afghanistan are both victims of
terrorism and they both firmly oppose terrorism of any form.
The Chinese side supported Afghanistan’s efforts in combating
terrorism and safeguarding national stability and is ready to
work with the Afghan side to fight terrorism, separatism, extremism,
organized crime as will as illegal immigration, drug trafficking
and illegal arms trade. The Afghan side reaffirmed its strong
support to the Chinese side in combating the three forces.
?. 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”.
The Chinese side expressed readiness to enter into cooperation
in pragmatic terms with the Afghan side within the framework
of regional cooperation. The Afghan side welcomed China becoming
an observer of the South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation
(SAARC) and supported China in carrying out mutually beneficial
cooperation with SAARC.
?. During the visit, the two sides signed: Treaty
of Good-Neighborly Friendship and Cooperation between the People’s
Republic of China and the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan, Agreement
on Cooperation between the Government of the People’s
Republic of China and the Government of the Islamic Republic
of Afghanistan in Combating Transnational Crime, Agreement on
Trade and Economic Cooperation between the Government of the
People’s Republic of China and the Government of the Islamic
Republic of Afghanistan, Agreement on Economic and Technical
Cooperation between the Government of the People’s Republic
of China and the Government of the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan,Exchange
Letter for China Granting Zero Tariff Treatment to Certain Goods
Originated in Afghanistan, Air Service Agreement between the
Government of the People’s Republic of China and the Government
of the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan, Protocol on Institutionalizing
Consultations between Officials of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs
of the People’s Republic of China and the Ministry of
Foreign Affairs of the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan, Agreement
between the Chinese People’s Liberation Army and the Afghanistan
National Army on China’s Provision of Military Aid Gratis
for the Training of Military Personnel to Afghanistan, Memorandum
of Understanding on Agricultural Cooperation between the Ministry
of Agriculture of the People’s Republic of China and the
Ministry of Agriculture, Animal Husbandry and Food of the Islamic
Republic of Afghanistan, Memorandum of Understanding between
the State Administration of Cultural Heritage of the People’s
Republic of China and the Ministry of Information, Culture,
Tourism and Youths of the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan on
Cooperation in the Maintenance and Preservation of Cultural
Heritage, Agreement of Cooperation between the Afghanistan Chamber
of Commerce and Industry and the China Council for the Promotion
of International Trade, Agreement of Cooperation between the
Afghanistan Investment Support Agency and the China Council
for the Promotion of International Trade.
XIII. President Karzai invited President Hu Jintao
to pay a state visit to Afghanistan at a time convenient to
him. President Hu expressed his thanks for the invitation.
For further information, please contact:
Office of the Spokesman to the President
Tel.: 00 93 799 33 77 55
