Beijing: China on Thursday said that enhancing
economic cooperation and trade with Afghanistan will top the
agenda during President Hamid Karzai's three day visit to the
country beginning on March 23.
"During his (Karzai) visit the two side will discuss
how to enhance economic cooperation and trade," Chinese
Foreign Ministry spokesman Qin Gang said today.
"China hopes to see peaceful stable Afghanistan with
progress and development," he said.
China has provided USD 900 million of assistance for
various reconstruction projects in Afghanistan and recently
granted another USD 75 million, he added.
This will be Karzai's first visit to China since he
was re-elected as the Afghan president last November.
During the visit, Karzai will hold talks with Chinese
President Hu Jintao.
Other Chinese leaders who will meet Karzai include,
Premier Wen Jiabao and Wu Bangguo, chairman of the Standing
Committee of the National People's Congress (NPC).
Karzai made his first visit to China as the head of
the transitional government of Afghanistan in 2002.
He had also visited Beijing to attend the opening
ceremony of the Olympic Games in August 2008.
China has played a low key role in Afghanistan
sticking to developmental projects while refraining to take
pro-active role to contain Taliban by backing US and other
countries efforts in this regard.
Though there is no official word, Beijing is expected
to announce more development aid to the war-ravaged country.
PTI
First Published: Thursday, March 18, 2010, 20:22