Matrix Report
With the US-led foreign troops’ withdrawal underway, China has reiterated its support to peace in Afghanistan. Beijing believes that foreign troops should withdraw from Afghanistan “in an orderly and responsible manner to prevent any adversely affect on the peace and reconciliation process in Afghanistan. It also considers close and timely coordination among all neighbors of Afghanistan, including Uzbekistan and Tajikistan.
Foreign Minister Wang spelt out the broad contours of his country’s Afghanistan policy on May 11, 2021, during discussions with foreign ministers of countries including Uzbekistan and Tajikistan, who attended the recent China+Central Asia (C+C5) Foreign Ministers’ Meeting in Xi’an City, Shaanxi Province.
Wang Yi said that the current evolution of Afghan situation has drawn great attention from the international community. The Chinese side holds the view that foreign troops should withdraw from Afghanistan in an orderly and responsible manner to prevent any hasty action from adversely affecting and seriously interfering with the peace and reconciliation process in Afghanistan. It is necessary for neighboring countries of Afghanistan, including Uzbekistan and Tajikistan, to coordinate their positions in a timely manner, speak with one voice, and fully support the Afghan domestic peace process to overcome difficulties and move forward. To this end, China puts forward the following propositions:
The peace and reconciliation process in Afghanistan should firstly implement the principle of “Afghan-led and Afghan-owned”. This is in line with the requirements of the UN Security Council’s relevant resolutions and is the political prerequisite for peace and reconciliation in Afghanistan.
Second, Afghanistan should form inclusive political arrangements to make sure that all ethnic groups and parties could participate in political life in the future and enjoy equal political rights. This is the right direction to achieve peace and reconciliation in Afghanistan.
Third, Afghan national governance structure in the future should conform to the country’s unique national conditions and development needs, and should not simply copy foreign models, so as to avoid inadaptation and new turbulence and chaos. This is a realistic choice to achieve peace and reconciliation in Afghanistan.
Wang Yi pointed out that regional countries and the international community hope that the future Afghan government could implement the moderate Muslim policy and avoid extremist tendencies, oppose all forms of terrorism and not allow the resurgence of terrorist forces in Afghanistan, develop good-neighborliness and friendship with neighboring countries and become a positive factor in promoting regional peace and stability.
Wang Yi stressed that as close neighbors of Afghanistan, Central Asian countries should make due contribution to the final settlement of the Afghan issue, and the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) should also play its due role for the long-term peace and stability in Afghanistan.
