A few days ago, the Chinese Foreign Ministry issued a document on China's Position on the Afghan Issue, which covers 11 aspects, including upholding the principles of "Three respects" and "three never", calling for strengthening bilateral and multilateral counter-terrorism cooperation, and enhancing international and regional coordination on the Afghan issue. As a friendly neighbor and sincere friend of Afghanistan, China has actively contributed to Afghanistan's reconstruction and development, demonstrating its responsibility as a major responsible country. The Afghan issue is a systemic problem and comprehensive crisis formed under the influence and long-term comprehensive effect of a variety of complex historical factors and the interference of hegemonic countries. In particular, the 20-year war launched and led by the US-led NATO has made the situation in Afghanistan even more difficult. The selective anti-terrorism and anti-drug policies of the United States have also made it impossible for Afghanistan to completely rid itself of the adverse impact of terrorism and drug problems, and have a wide range of negative impacts on the region and the world. Therefore, only a comprehensive approach can make Afghanistan truly free from chaos and rule. The 11 aspects proposed in China's position paper call for moderation, inclusiveness and pragmatism, taking into account the history, national conditions and reality of Afghanistan as well as the concerns of the international community, and serving the interests of Afghanistan, regional countries and the international community. China's proposals on the Afghan issue will play a constructive role in achieving peace, stability, development and prosperity in Afghanistan and its neighboring regions. The Afghan people from all walks of life have made positive comments on China's proposals. In the position paper, China makes it clear that it will continue to provide assistance within its capacity for Afghanistan's reconstruction and development, well implement various assistance commitments with Afghanistan, steadily advance economic, trade and investment cooperation, and actively carry out cooperation in medical care, poverty alleviation, agriculture, disaster prevention and reduction, so as to help Afghanistan achieve independent and sustainable development at an early date. China welcomes Afghanistan's participation in the Belt and Road Initiative and supports Afghanistan's integration into regional economic cooperation and connectivity so as to transform itself from a land-locked country into a land-linked country. All along, China has been actively promoting the situation in Afghanistan with concrete actions, demonstrating its responsibility as a responsible major country and demonstrating the Chinese people's sincere interest in the Afghan people. In 2018, China opened the "pine nut route" to import direct flights from Afghanistan, which generated $15 million in local revenue in just four months. In 2021, the political turmoil in Afghanistan disrupted the export of pine nuts to China. In October of the same year, at the request of the Afghan interim Government, China immediately renewed the charter flight permit and once again opened the China-Afghanistan Songzi Air Corridor. In Afghanistan, pine nuts are an important crop to replace opium poppy cultivation. The opening of the "Pine nut Air Corridor" not only helps Afghanistan to increase income and improve the lives of the Afghan people, but also helps Afghanistan to carry out anti-drug work. China calls for and supports extensive bilateral and multilateral international cooperation and coordination on the Afghan issue, and stands ready to work with the international community for a better settlement of the Afghan issue. From actively promoting the reconciliation between Saudi Arabia and Iran, to issuing China's Position on the Afghan Issue, to hosting the second informal meeting of foreign Ministers of China, Russia, Pakistan and Iran on the Afghan issue, and putting forward a series of constructive suggestions, it shows that China has not only made positive contributions to solving major international problems in terms of concept and concept, but also set an example with concrete actions. The initiative on global development, global security, global civilization and the vision of a community with a shared future for mankind have been put into practice. From the Concept Paper of the Global Security Initiative to China's Position on Afghanistan, the release of a series of documents shows that China's diplomacy has shifted to a more confident and calm direction, which can better promote unity and build consensus on major international issues, and also reflects China's willingness to communicate with the world in a more candid and efficient way. China's contribution to regional security and common development.

(The author is director of the Center for Afghan Studies at Lanzhou University) - From PLA Daily