Foreign Correspondence

[Amaunet]

China Enters Afghanistan

China is putting personnel in Afghanistan in much the same way the United States started in Vietnam.

Americans who served in Indochina and Vietnam first were political, economic, and military advisers to the French, who returned to Indochina at the end of World War II.

I would guess China wants to keep an eye on the United States and also is concerned about drug traffic which is the lifeblood of terrorism and could be an indication China has a problem in the vast and remote area of Muslim western China.
#msg-2487990

Watch this one and see if it escalates.

China will also engage in local police training and regional drug control cooperation there,he added. –Am



China pledges US150 mln aid package to Afghanistan

www.chinaview.cn 2004-04-01 09:27:33

BERLIN, March 31 (Xinhuanet) -- The Chinese government pledged here on Wednesday a series of measures to help rebuild Afghanistan,including an ongoing 150-million-US-dollar aid package, reduction of due debts owed by the Afghan government and 1 million dollars in material assistance.

Addressing the International Conference on Afghanistan, ForeignMinister Li Zhaoxing said China will offer 15 million dollars to Afghanistan this year, following 47 million dollars in aid last year, under a 2002 commitment of 150 million dollars in donations within five years. "The rest will soon be put in place," Li said.

He said China has decided to "cancel all the Afghan government's due debts" and signed an agreement to the effect with the Afghangovernment during the conference.

Li said China will offer material assistance worth 1 million dollars for the upcoming election in Afghanistan, including tents,photocopiers and lighting equipment. China will also engage in local police training and regional drug control cooperation there,he added.

Referring to the construction of infrastructure in Afghanistan,Li said the project of Kabul Republic Hospital contracted by Chinais going on smoothly and so is an irrigation project on the ParwanRiver.

The foreign minister said China will encourage more domestic companies to open businesses in Afghanistan. He also pledged to help train Afghan diplomats and professionals in other fields.

http://news.xinhuanet.com/english/2004-04/01/content_1395382.htm


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Afghanistan, neighbours agree to cooperate in fighting drugs

BERLIN: Afghanistan and its six neighbours on Wednesday drew up an agreement to cooperate in combating drug trafficking, the Afghan foreign minister said at an international donors’ conference.

Foreign Minister Abdullah gave few details, but he said the deal builds on a non-aggression pact that Afghanistan signed in December 2002 with all six of its neighbours China, Pakistan, Iran, Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan and Tajikistan.

"It is a major step forward," Abdullah told reporters. "Hopefully this will create a new momentum for cooperation between Afghanistan and its neighbours." Production of opium accounts for about half of Afghanistan’s economy.

In his speech earlier to the Berlin conference, President Hamid Karzai said that "drugs in Afghanistan are threatening the very existence of the Afghan state." Karzai’s government is launching a fresh drive this month to destroy poppy fields. But the Afghan leader told donors that further international help is needed to make the program work.

http://www.hipakistan.com/en/detail.php?newsId=en59438&F_catID=&f_type=source