Engagement, Assistance and Constructive Guidance with Mutual Respect

----Video-Speech at The Panel Discussion on “The Future of Afghanistan and Its Impact on Regional Security”[ The title is added later with some editing when publishing.]

By Dr. Yue Xiaoyong, Sp. Envoy for Afghanistan, MFA of China, and a China Forum Expert

Online from Wuhan; November 20, 2021, Jakarta

I would like to thank Global Town Hall, FPCI of Indonesia for inviting me to speak here with such distinguished personalities in the profession, and discuss “The Future of Afghanistan and Its Impact on Regional Security”, a world-wide focused topic now. Indonesia is a most appropriate country to hold this timely discussion. As the biggest Muslim country in population, it has been very successful in its national modernization and economic-social development achievements with remarkable contribution for regional and global peace, security and prosperity.

I have travelled with my team non-stop over recent three months to 15 countries. We met with many people in charge from nearly thirty countries or international organizations including Afghanistan, East-South-Central Asia, Middle East, Europe, UN representative and its Geneva headquarters, Russia and United States. Those trips and meetings have led to some very important messages, rational and pragmatic engagement with timely assistance and constructive guidance is the key for political settlement of Afghanistan issue and for the country to achieve sustainable peace, stability and reconstruction. Let me elaborate:

1, International community do have consensus about Afghan issue, and agree with what China has been advocating: this issue, especially the situation after significant change of August 15, and the efforts many countries have been making, is not something about geopolitics, nor that of big powers wrestling. It is about humanity and humanitarian care, about shelter and food, about whether Afghanistan as a sovereign nation can tide over crucial transition from turbulence to order and grasp opportunity to have the fate of Afghanistan into its people’s own hands for national reconstruction and for joining us all in building up a shared future for human community.

2, There is a strong consensus that a historic lesson shall be drawn from Afghanistan issue: the only right way for relationship between sovereign countries is to respect a nation’s own choice of their development path and respect different civilizations through mutual inclusiveness and mutual learning. Intervention into a nation’s internal affairs with even military means can only lead to conflicts, instability, poverty and humanitarian disasters.

That is why in two newly-set Afghanistan neighboring countries FM meetings, Moscow Format gathering, Doha and Geneva dialogues and dozens of multilateral, bilateral or regional discussions, most participants stressed that some countries especially some big power after staying in Afghanistan over the past 20 years with massive troops, should as soon as possible redress its mistakes, defreezing Afghan liquidity and overseas assets, lifting unilateral sanctions and shoulder primary responsibility to prevent Afghanistan from humanitarian crisis so as to offer real help to Afghan people.

3, It is an enhanced common standing that a fair and balanced view is needed regarding challenges and opportunities Afghan people face. With its interim government emerged, the country is making efforts to build its new political structure, restoring living and working order, opening external relations and cooperation. People there are being trying to seize that opportunity to reconstruct Afghanistan. Challenges meanwhile are daunting in at least 4 folds, political restructuring, economic reconstruction, countering-terrorism, humanitarian suffering. With weak governess ability, livelihood hardship and complicated security situation, Afghanistan needs more humanitarian assistance, constructive guidance and support to survive and fulfil their dream.

4, It is China that has been initiating since earliest stage after August 15 change as to what are expected from Afghanistan in transition. Those positions have now become international consensus, including to set up an open and inclusive political structure; to implement moderate and prudent internal and external policies with rights for women and education; to make a clear break away from terrorist groups with resolute strikes; to pursue friendly relations with all countries especially good-neighborliness.

5, Enhancing multilateral coordination matters. China has been keen on participating in international coordination in multilateral and regional platforms, help to forge common ground and cooperation from all sides. We have worked with partners and succeeded in setting up Afghanistan neighboring countries cooperation mechanism. This platform is offering neighboring countries’ unique role for Afghanistan striving for long-term and sustainable peace and security and has won great international attention and positive response.

Based on what Afghan people need, China announced RMB 200 million worth of emergency humanitarian assistance. Delivery has been reaching Afghan people. It is strikingly encouraging that an Afghan pine nuts export air corridor is built up recently with 45 tons of first batch of goods sold out in China, benefiting thousands of Afghanistan working families and women. We are also helping Afghans to combat Covid-19 by providing vaccines, medical supplies and protective gears. China will try its best to continue supporting Afghan economic and social development and expand trade and business cooperation.

6, It is conducive to all in the region and world to help Afghanistan to bring about long-term stability, prevent spillover of its security problems and help it step onto good governess and political structure. All sides should support rational and pragmatic engagement and dialogue with Afghan interim government, enhance mutual confidence, exercise positive guidance and encourage Afghanistan to positively respond to international common concern. International community should strengthen counter-terrorism cooperation by supporting Afghan new interim government in its fighting of ISIL, ETIM and all terrorist organizations, forge a united front against terror and cast away double standards or selective approach to ensure that Afghanistan no longer becomes safe haven or concentrating places of terrorism groups. We need to increase mutual reinforcement and build synergy between various mechanisms on Afghanistan to assist the country for reconstruction, prevent refugee exodus and humanitarian nightmare.

As our State Councilor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi has emphasized in many occasions that China has all along been a friendly neighboring country with Afghanistan. We have always respected its sovereignty, independence and territorial integrity, supported its people to decide by their own its nation’s aspiration and development path, never intervened its domestic affairs, firmly carry out friendship policy with all Afghan people and played a constructive role in political settlement of Afghan issue. China will certainly continue to do so in future，ready to keep on working with all countries for an earlier realization of peace, stability and development in Afghanistan and play our constructive role.