'China to continue providing emergency humanitarian assistance to Afghanistan'

Wang Wenbin describes China as friendly neighbour and sincere friend of Afghanistan

Chinese Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Wang Wenbin said on Wednesday that China will continue to provide emergency humanitarian assistance to Afghanistan to help the Afghan people overcome the current difficulties.

Wenbin's remarks came during his regular news briefing in Beijing.

"China has been providing support within its capacity to Afghanistan for the country’s reconstruction and economic development," he said.

In reply to a question at the briefing, Wenbin described China as a friendly neighbour and sincere friend of Afghanistan.

On October 27, China had announced that it will send $30 million worth of emergency humanitarian assistance to the war-torn country and had urged the international community to help Afghanistan.

Earlier, Pakistan’s ambassador to Turkey said that it was reported that the dire situation in Afghanistan is probably the largest humanitarian crisis currently unfolding in the world, and warrants an expeditious and coordinated response from the international community.

“According to UN estimates, about 60%, or perhaps more, of Afghanistan’s people, particularly children, are at serious risk of starvation, malnourishment, and lack access to health care and medicines,” Muhammad Syrus Sajjad Qazi said in an interview with Anadolu Agency.

The looming winter season is expected to be particularly tough for Afghans, he warned.

“There are multiple factors impacting the lives of the ordinary Afghans, and this situation requires a concerted, quick, very expeditious and coordinated response from the world community,” he said.

Qazi said the Afghanistan crisis will be the primary focus during a meeting of the Council of Foreign Ministers of the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) in Pakistan’s capital Islamabad later this week.