FM says US must help Afghanistan's peaceful reconstruction

State Councilor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi held a phone conversation with United States Secretary of State Antony Blinken on Sunday during which they exchanged views on issues including the situation in Afghanistan and China-US relations.

With the US set to complete its withdrawal from Afghanistan, Blinken said Washington believes the United Nations Security Council should send out a clear and unified message that shows the international community expects the Taliban to guarantee the safe evacuation of foreign citizens, ensure the Afghan people receive humanitarian assistance, and that the country's territory will not become the source of terrorist attacks or a haven for terrorism.

Noting the necessity for all parties to engage with the Taliban, Wang said it is especially necessary for the US to work with the international community to provide economic, livelihood, and humanitarian assistance that is urgently needed in Afghanistan, help the new political regime maintain the normal operation of government agencies, and curb currency devaluation so as to help the country start its peaceful reconstruction as soon as possible.

Facts once again proved that the war in Afghanistan did not realize the goal of eliminating terrorist forces in the country and the hasty withdrawal of troops by the US and NATO might provide an opportunity for the resurgence of various kinds of terrorist groups located in Afghanistan, Wang said.

He urged the US to take practical action to help Afghanistan curb terrorism and stop violence on the premise of respecting the country's sovereignty and independence, instead of practicing double standards or selectively cracking down on terrorism.

Wang said that any action taken by the UNSC must be conducive to easing conflicts and leading to a steady transition of the current situation in Afghanistan, but not the opposite.

Speaking about China-US relations, Wang said Beijing will consider how to engage with Washington, according to the US' attitude toward China.

If the US also expected bilateral ties to go back on the right track, it should not keep smearing and attacking China, or undermine China's sovereignty, security, and development interests, he said.

Wang also expressed China's opposition to the so-called COVID-19 origin-tracing report recently released by the US intelligence community, and urged the US to stop politicizing the origins-tracing work, stop pressuring the World Health Organization, and stop disturbing international cooperation in fighting against the virus and studying its origins.