China is willing to continue making contributions to achieving reconciliation between Afghanistan and Pakistan, said Foreign Ministry spokesman Lin Jian at a press briefing in Beijing on Monday.
Lin said Afghanistan and Pakistan are neighbors that cannot be moved away. Any problems between the two countries can only be resolved through dialog and consultation.
He said that the most urgent task at present is to prevent the fighting from expanding and for the two sides to return to the negotiating table as soon as possible.
"China has mediated the conflict between Afghanistan and Pakistan all the way through its own channels. In recent days, Foreign Minister Wang Yi have held separate phone conversations with Pakistani Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Mohammad Ishaq Dar and Afghan Foreign Minister Mawlawi Amir Khan Muttaqi. The special envoy on Afghan affairs of the Chinese Foreign Ministry has shuttled between the two countries for mediation, and Chinese embassies in the two countries have also maintained close communication with both sides. Both Afghanistan and Pakistan have expressed thanks and appreciation to China for its positive efforts in mediating the conflict," said Lin.
"We hope that both sides of Afghanistan and Pakistan will remain calm and exercise restraint, engage in face-to-face exchanges at an early date, and achieve a ceasefire as soon as possible, resolving their contradictions and disputes through dialog. China is willing to continue making contribution to achieving reconciliation and ease tensions between Afghanistan and Pakistan," Lin said.
China willing to help achieve Afghanistan-Pakistan reconciliation: spokesman
