Pakistan, China have always supported Afghan Peace Process: Professor Cheng Xizhong

BEIJING, March 24 (APP):Pakistan has played a key role in promoting the peace and reconciliation process in Afghanistan for decades, which should be highly recognized and appreciated by the international community, Cheng Xizhong, Visiting Professor at Southwest University of Political Science and Law, said on Wednesday.

“Pakistan’s important role in this process should continue to be attached importance to,” Cheng, also a former military diplomat in the South Asian countries, said in an article.

On March 19, the Afghan Taliban urged the United States to fulfill its commitment to withdraw troops from Afghanistan before May 1, otherwise, they will respond.

The day before, the multi-party talks on Afghanistan were held in Moscow with representatives of the Afghan government, the Taliban, Russia, the United States, China and Pakistan.

Cheng said with the US withdrawal deadline approaching, opposing factions in Afghanistan and the international community were increasingly worried about the trend of the situation in that country. “If the United States withdraws as planned and both sides of the conflict in Afghanistan fail to reach a peace agreement in time, the future security situation in Afghanistan may further deteriorate,” he added.

On March 16, in an interview with American Broadcasting Company (ABC), President Joe Biden said it was “possible, but difficult” for the US troops to completely withdraw from Afghanistan before May 1. It showed the latest position of the Biden administration on the issue of troop withdrawal. After Joe Bide came to power, he proposed to reevaluate the rationality of withdrawing troops on schedule.

US Defence Secretary Lloyd J Austin III, who just concluded his visit to India, made a surprise visit to Afghanistan and held talks with Afghan President Ashraf Ghani. Both sides expressed concern about the continuing violence in Afghanistan and stressed that the fundamental way to solve the current situation was to achieve a just and lasting peace.
Cheng said the international community urged the two sides in the Afghan conflict to reach a peace agreement through negotiations in order to end the long-term war. Both sides in the Afghan conflict should reduce violence, in particular, the Taliban should not launch spring and summer offensive operations.

“Now, the international community is actively organizing relevant talks, mainly aimed at promoting the two sides to intensify negotiations and strive for an early peace agreement so as to avoid further deterioration of the situation in Afghanistan,” he added.

Cheng said China was willing to work with Russia, the United States and other world powers, as well as neighbouring Pakistan and Afghanistan, to contribute to the solution of the Afghan problem.

“As far as the issue of Afghanistan is concerned, China’s principles and position have always been very clear. First, China supports and encourages internal reconciliation in Afghanistan.

Second, China calls on the United States to withdraw its troops in an orderly and responsible manner, so as not to leave hidden dangers and sequels of war in Afghanistan. Third, China is willing to actively work with major powers such as Russia and the United States, as well as neighbouring countries such as Pakistan and Afghanistan to jointly promote the peace process in Afghanistan.

Another very important point that needed high vigilance of the international community, he said, was that some regional powers, for their own interests, had been trying to undermine the regional peace and stability, including the peace and reconciliation process in Afghanistan.