Pakistan

Wang Yi in Islamabad: Beijing offers to assist Afghan reconciliation

Chinese FM says country is ready to play constructive role; Sartaj announces Chinese president will visit Pakistan

Our Correspondent February 13, 2015

Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi addressing a joint press conference with Advisor to PM on National Security and Foreign Affairs Sartaj Aziz in Islamabad. PHOTO: PID

ISLAMABAD:

China has offered to facilitate a peace deal between the Afghan government and the Taliban in a move that suggests Beijing seeks a greater role in the country post the withdrawal of US and Nato forces.

“China is ready to play its constructive role and will provide necessary facilitation at any time if it is required by various parties in Afghanistan,” said China’s Foreign Minister Wang Yi on Thursday. He was speaking at a joint news conference in Islamabad alongside Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif’s adviser on national security and foreign affairs, Sartaj Aziz.

Yi, who is on a two-day visit to Islamabad, said his country would support the Afghan government in reconciling with various political factions including the Taliban. He stressed that a broad-based inclusive national reconciliation was needed to ensure long term peace and stability in Afghanistan.

The Chinese foreign minister also underlined Pakistan’s important role in achieving the objective.

China has recently shown keen interest in expanding its role in neighboring Afghanistan. But this is the first time any senior Chinese official publicly offered to play a role in the Afghan reconciliation process.

Last month, the Taliban confirmed that they had sent a delegation to China but insisted that the visit was not meant for seeking China’s mediation.

‘China’s president to visit at an early date’

Following talks at the Foreign Office, Prime Minister’s Adviser Sartaj Aziz told reporters that both Islamabad and Beijing had agreed that China’s President Xi Jinping would visit Pakistan “at an early date this year.”

The visit was originally scheduled to take place in August last year but had to be cancelled due to political turmoil in Pakistan. The Chinese president is now likely to visit in March and is expected to attend the joint military parade on Pakistan Day.

Foreign Minister Yi said President Xi’s visit will further enhance the ‘all-weather’ friendship between the two countries.

The Chinese foreign minister also called on President Mamnoon Hussain and discussed with him a wide range of issues including counter-terrorism efforts.

According to an official statement, the president told the Chinese foreign minister that Pakistan is carrying out a comprehensive operation against all terrorists. Mamnoon Hussain said Operation Zarb-e-Azb has yielded positive results. He said Pakistani nation is waiting to receive Chinese President Xi Jinping. He said the government is ensuring foolproof security of Chinese workers in Pakistan, which it considers as its top priority.

Wang Yi on this occasion said both Pakistan and China have been keeping a close eye on evolving situation in the region. He said strategic partnership and economic cooperation between the two countries would enhance in coming days.

Published in The Express Tribune, February 13^th, 2015.

COMMENTS (7)

Blithe | 9 years ago | Reply A slap on the face on PTI and Indian trolls

John B | 9 years ago | Reply The last time when China got involved in peace negotiations, N and S Korea emerged. It is better for China to stay out of this conflict between Taliban-Pakistan interest in Afghanistan. While China may be thinking that her participation will reduce the tension in Western China, and can aid her interest with PAK, the Taliban and Afg government interests are different with those of PAK and China. In any case, I doubt China can mediate peace Afg faction. The interests of the parties are very divergent.

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abreez | 9 years ago | Reply Why is the US constantly sowing discord in South China Sea? People's Daily Online February 05, 2015 The US 7th Fleet Commander Robert Thomas recently stated that the United States would welcome a Japanese extension of air patrols into the South China Sea. The Pentagon subsequently expressed support for this statement and said this would help to maintain stability in the South China Sea. We all know the South China Sea is not peaceful. In recent decades, several countries surrounding the region have been eroding Chinese territory and violating China's economic rights and interests in the region. Meanwhile, the United States pushes its 'rebalancing'strategy in the Asia-Pacific region and expands its military presence in the region . For some time, the Unites States has not only conducted close surveillance over China, but also expanded its alliances and partnerships in the region. The Unites States is an obvious agitator in the South China Sea disputes, which would be resolved through direct negotiation without US interference. Senior US military officials and officials of the Department of Defense are now encouraging Japan to get involved in South China Sea affairs Their objectives are as follows: First, by expanding the internationalization of the South China Sea, to exert more international pressure on China; second, through a joint show of force by the United States and Japan, to upgrade the deterrent to China; third, sending a signal to the other parties involved that they have no need to rely on diplomatic means to seek mutual benefits; they can depend on the interference of the United States. The United States has nothing more to offer than continued dominance in East Asia. It appears to take the view that neither China nor any of the other countries which are actually located in this region are entitled to develop rules that apply there. China only seeks to safeguard its legitimate rights and interests of national sovereignty, and does not seek any special entitlements. The South China Sea has historically belonged to China, and its neighboring countries have accepted that as a fact in the past. The United States has repeatedly encouraged Japan to patrol in the region, an indication that it hopes to take advantage of the Sino-Japanese conflict to hinder independent consultations between China and the ASEAN countries. In the name of regional stability, the United States is sowing discord in the South China Sea. It will not succeed in its attempts to dominate the region, and the East Asian countries should realize that achieving regional development and security depend on cooperation. The author is Shen Dingli, a professor and associate dean at the Institute of International Studies of Shanghai-based Fudan University.

abreez | 9 years ago | Reply Chinese are facing many difficulties and in a few years Chinese will not be in a position to facilitate peace deals in other countries. Pakistan should distance itself from Afghan internal affairs; Afghan internal affairs are Afghan headache. I don’t know how many more dead bodies we need until we’ll reach to the conclusion that after India the worst enemies of Pakistan are Afghans.

Vectra | 9 years ago | Reply @hhattak just because the chinese says so they are now liability,you should have called chinese fm to visit your country and give that statement long ago.

Khattak | 9 years ago | Reply This is good news. If Taliban & Haqanis do not want to oblige Chinese peace initiative, we better arrest & hand them over to Afghan Govt. They are a big liability. We want peace.

S K Chadha | 9 years ago | Reply Low key visit. Is pressure mounting on Pakistan?

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