Chinese premier meets Afghan president

Chinese Premier Li Keqiang (R) meets with Afghan President Hamid Karzai in Beijing, capital of China, Sept. 27, 2013. (Xinhua/Pang Xinglei)

Chinese Premier Li Keqiang met with Afghan President Hamid Karzai here on Friday.

Li said China and Afghanistan, without historical resentment and realistic contradiction, have friendship and cooperation. China will steadily pursue a friendly policy towards Afghanistan, deepen their strategic cooperative partnership, enhance cooperation in trade and investment and promote major projects on energy resources.

China encourages competent Chinese enterprises to invest in Afghanistan, said Li, calling for security and protection from the Afghan side.

He added that China would also like to provide assistance, within its own capacity, to Afghanistan, so as to realize reciprocity and benefit the two peoples.

China respects the way of development chosen by the Afghan people according to their national situation, appreciates the efforts paid by the Afghan government for a stable interim, supports Afghanistan in promotion of a comprehensive and inclusive national reconciliation, and hopes the country can achieve long-term peace and stability, economic prosperity and contentment for the people, Li said.

The premier added that China will work with the international community to promote balanced development of Afghanistan's security, stability and contentment of the people, and will promote the regional peace, stability and development.

Karzai spoke highly of the China's fair stance on the Afghan issue, as well as China's important role in promoting Afghanistan's national stability and peaceful reconstruction.

He said Afghanistan will enhance comprehensive cooperation with China, and push forward the bilateral ties to make new progress.

On Friday afternoon, Chinese President Xi Jinping also held an hour of talks with Karzai at the Great Hall of the People.

Karzai is paying a four-day state visit to China at Xi's invitation. He also attended the 2013 Euro-Asia Economic Forum held in Xi'an, capital of northwest China's Shaanxi Province.