Xi Jinping Attends the Joint Summit of Leaders of Member States of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation and the Collective Security Treaty Organisation on the Afghan Issue

Xi Jinping Attends the Joint Summit of Leaders of Member States of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation and the Collective Security Treaty Organisation on the Afghan Issue

2021-09-18

News Department

On the afternoon of the 17th, President Xi Jinping attended via video link the Joint Summit of Leaders of Member States of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation and the Collective Security Treaty Organisation on the Afghan Issue in Beijing and delivered an important speech.

On September 17, President Xi Jinping attended via video link the Joint Summit of Leaders of Member States of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation and the Collective Security Treaty Organisation on the Afghan Issue in Beijing and delivered an important speech. Photo by Xinhua reporter Huang Jingwen

Xi Jinping pointed out that the situation in Afghanistan has recently undergone fundamental changes, exerting an important influence on the international situation, the regional landscape, and security and stability. At present, Afghanistan faces many difficulties and challenges. Restoring normal order as soon as possible and achieving a soft landing of the situation are urgent priorities for all the Afghan people, and the international community and countries in the region also need to pay close attention. The member states of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation and the Collective Security Treaty Organisation are all close neighbours of Afghanistan; we are a community with a shared future and also a security community. At this critical moment we should jointly play our role and jointly safeguard peace and stability, which are more precious than gold.

Xi Jinping stressed that the affairs of a country should be decided by its own people, and international affairs should be handled through consultation by all. On the premise of respecting Afghanistan’s sovereignty, independence and territorial integrity, we should help implement the basic principle of “Afghan-led and Afghan-owned,” so that the people of all ethnic groups in Afghanistan can independently determine the country’s future and destiny. The Shanghai Cooperation Organisation and the Collective Security Treaty Organisation should give full play to the unique advantages and respective influence of their member states, adhere to the general direction of a political settlement of the Afghan issue, push Afghanistan to end turmoil and return to stability and embark on the path of peaceful reconstruction, and ultimately achieve universal security, common security, cooperative security and lasting security in the region.

Xi Jinping put forward three suggestions.

First, promote a smooth transition of the situation in Afghanistan as soon as possible. Support the various parties within Afghanistan in reaching an inclusive political arrangement through dialogue and consultation at an early date. We should continue to pay attention to the movements of terrorist organisations within Afghanistan, urge the relevant parties in Afghanistan to crack down on them resolutely, and adopt a method addressing both the symptoms and root causes to eradicate them thoroughly, so as to prevent the terrorist forces entrenched in Afghanistan from wreaking havoc in all directions.

Second, engage in contact and dialogue with Afghanistan. Proceeding from a rational and pragmatic perspective, interact with all parties in Afghanistan, and guide and encourage Afghanistan’s new governance structure to be more open and inclusive, pursue moderate and steady domestic and foreign policies, and live in friendship with all countries in the world, especially its neighbouring countries.

Third, help the Afghan people get through their difficulties. We should promptly provide humanitarian and anti-epidemic support to Afghanistan to help the Afghan people relieve their worries and difficulties. China has announced that it will dispatch a batch of emergency relief supplies as soon as possible and will continue to provide more help within its capacity. As the initiator of Afghanistan’s difficult situation, certain countries should all the more draw lessons from the past and shoulder their due responsibility for Afghanistan’s future development.

On September 17, President Xi Jinping attended via video link the Joint Summit of Leaders of Member States of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation and the Collective Security Treaty Organisation on the Afghan Issue in Beijing and delivered an important speech. Photo by Xinhua reporter Huang Jingwen

Xi Jinping finally stressed that China stands ready to strengthen communication and coordination with all parties and work together to support the Afghan people in moving towards a bright future and to safeguard lasting peace and tranquillity in the region.

Tajik President Emomali Rahmon chaired the summit, which was attended by Kazakh President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev, Kyrgyz President Sadyr Japarov, Pakistani Prime Minister Imran Khan, Uzbek President Shavkat Mirziyoyev, Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan, Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko, and Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi. Russian President Vladimir Putin and Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi attended the summit via video link.

Ding Xuexiang, Yang Jiechi, He Lifeng and others took part in the summit.

Wang Yi attended the summit in person in Tajikistan as the special representative of President Xi Jinping.