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China ready to boost military ties with Afghanistan


A top Chinese military official states that his country is ready to develop closer military ties with Afghanistan as the war-battered Asian country wrestles with violence and instability.

In a meeting with visiting Afghan Defense Minister Abdul Rahim Wardak on Friday, vice chairman of China’s Central Military Commission Guo Boxiong said that both countries have witnessed significant results in cooperation in recent years, and bilateral military relations have also improved steadily, Xinhua reported.

Guo lauded Afghanistan’s support for to China’s core interests, adding that China has consistently supported and actively participated in Afghanistan’s reconstruction.

“China has called on the international community to respect the Afghan people’s will; and will continue to provide support and assistance for the country on the basis of respect for its independence, sovereignty and territorial integrity,” the senior Chinese military official said.

Guo also called for enhanced strategic communication and pragmatic cooperation between the Chinese and Afghan armies.

Wardak, for his part, expressed gratitude for the help China has extended to his country, adding that Kabul-Beijing relations help establishment of regional security and stability.

The deveopments come as insecurity continues to rise across Afghanistan because the presence of some 130,000 US-led forces in the war-torn country.

The US-led war in Afghanistan, with civilian and military casualties at record highs, has become the longest military conflict in American history.

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