KABUL - China plays an important role in Afghan issues and shares a positive influence on the stability and prosperity of Afghanistan. The country would definitely benefit from the Belt and Road Initiative proposed by China, said Afghan Chief Executive (CEO) Abdullah Abdullah in a recent interview with Xinhua.
"Afghanistan and China are neighboring countries which enjoy good, friendly relations based on mutual trust. I hope my visit and the topics to be discussed will further strengthen the relations between both countries," Abdullah told Xinhua.
Abdullah is scheduled to pay his maiden official visit to China from May 15 to 18.
Besides exchanging views with Chinese leaders in Beijing, he is also scheduled to pay a visit to Urumqi, capital of west China's Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region.
According to Abdullah, various topics will be addressed when meeting with Chinese leaders, including regional and global issues, Afghan-Sino relations, security cooperation, economic promotion and people-to-people exchanges between the two countries.
Abdullah lauded the Belt and Road Initiative, saying it is able to provide better connectivity, communication and cooperation in the region.
"First of all, we are supportive of that broad vision which provides better connectivity and better communication. And secondly, because of our location, we can benefit from it and we can also contribute towards it," said Abdullah.
Explaining Afghanistan's strategic location, he said his country is a historical hub along the ancient Silk Road and can provide connectivity to all countries in east Asia, west Asia and south Asia.
Afghanistan is known for its rich reserves of several natural resources, including copper, rare earth and marble. Meanwhile, several agricultural products are highly valued in the international market, such as saffron and dry fruits.
Abdullah appealed for more Chinese investment to Afghanistan, vowing "to create a better environment for investment from all countries, including from friendly neighboring countries, such as China."
Talking about the national peace process and national reconciliation, the chief executive pointed fingers at the Taliban group, saying Afghanistan is facing an imposed war, but the government is better prepared this year to defend the country.
"At this moment there are no talks (between the government and the Taliban) and that's due to the position that the Taliban have taken. They rejected the talks and they didn't participate," said Abdullah.
Afghanistan's friendly countries in their own ways have tried to help and there is also a mechanism between the four countries of Afghanistan, Pakistan, China and the United States, he said.
"The idea was that every country will use its own influence in order to facilitate the talks, but the mechanism has not yet yielded the result that was expected, due to the wrong path that the Taliban has chosen."
"The principle position of Afghanistan remains that we will keep the door open for talks, but when war is imposed on us, we have no choice but to defend ourselves," Abdullah said.
He went on to explain how good China's influence has been on the peace process within Afghanistan, as well as with neighboring countries and regional issues, calling for China, together with the international community, to continue supporting the Afghan-led and Afghan-owned national reconciliation process.
Abdullah reiterated the point that the challenges Afghanistan are facing are not only the ones for his own country but also for the world, as Afghanistan will enhance its cooperation with neighboring and friendly countries to improve the domestic situation and the lives of all walks of Afghan people. (Xinhua)