Rebuilding Afghanistan: Kabul pins hope on China's help
Ambassador Wang Yu and Zabihullah Mujahid inaugurating a construction project in Kabul. [Photo by @ChinaEmbKabul]
KABUL,Dec.13(Gwadar Pro) - While a greater humanitarian crisis looms in Afghanistan, the Taliban's government in Kabul is looking to China for help and has pinned hopes on Chinese assistance and investment to rebuild the war-torn country.
“We want cordial and strong relations with China,” said Taliban Government spokesperson Zabihullah Mujahid on Sunday, adding the Taliban are looking forward to fostering good relations with all countries including China.
Zabihullah Mujahid made the remarks while inaugurating a construction project donated by China at the Ministry of Justice, Afghanistan.
Mujahid said, “We hope that investors especially from China will invest in Afghanistan” and added that the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan will pay special attention to protect the investors and their investments. "We want more cooperation with foreign countries, especially from China," he added.
On this occasion, Chinese Ambassador to Afghanistan Wang Yu said, “China is a true friend of Afghanistan, and peace and development are our common aspiration”.
China is one of the main countries in the world providing humanitarian assistance to the Afghan people affected by the conflict. On August 18, Wang Yu and Pakistani Ambassador Mansoor Ahmad Khan in a meeting discussed the current situation of Afghanistan and close collaboration between Afghanistan, China, Pakistan, and the international community for a way forward based on inclusivity, human rights respect, and rule of law.
In September, China announced assistance of RMB 200 million materials to Afghanistan. The first batch of aid, mainly including warm materials, arrived in Afghanistan from China on September 29. Besides, China will aid another RMB 30 million (USD 4.6 million) of food to Afghanistan.
A freight of emergency humanitarian aid departing China for Kabul. [Photo by @ChinaEmbKabul]
China was the first to buy Chalghoza (pine nuts) from Afghanistan to help Afghan farmers in the chronic economic hardships. The first plane carrying chalghoza took off from Kabul and arrived in Shanghai on November 1, which laid the foundation of the "Pine nut air corridor” between the two countries. So far, Afghanistan has sent 10 flights of pine nuts to China and it is interesting to note that 26 tons of chalghoza were sold in China in just a few minutes.
Ambassador Wang Yu hands over vaccines to Afghan authorities. [Photo by @ChinaEmbKabul]
China has so far donated tons of humanitarian aid supplies and daily necessities including cotton-padded clothes, cotton shoes, blankets, Nang (traditional flatbread in Xinjiang), milk, and tea powder for the needy people of Afghanistan during the winter. China will also ship three million doses of Covid vaccines to Afghanistan. Out of three million doses, a batch of over 800 thousand doses arrived in Afghanistan on December 8. China has repeatedly announced, "Beijing will stand firmly with Afghan people".
