BEIJING - China’s ambassador to Kabul visited Badakhshan province on Wednesday and said Beijing was concerned about insurgent activity in the province.
Yao Jing, the Chinese Ambassador to Kabul, on Wednesday paid a visit to Eshkashem district in north-eastern Badakhshan province and said insurgent activity in the north of Afghanistan is a threat to the region.
Yao said that Beijing is currently working with Kabul and other countries in the fight against insurgency “to prevent their influence in China.”
“We are concerned that the insurgents or the terrorist movements in this region is a threat not only to China but I believe to Afghanistan itself, to Tajikistan and to all neighbors,” he said.
He visited the district to review the security situation and also to increase assistance to Afghanistan in its fight against insurgents.
“In fact we are working with your government, with the regional countries. First we are working for anti-terrorism, second we are increasing our capacitybuilding and
He added that Afghanistan, Tajikistan, Pakistan and China are working to create a military mechanism to fight insurgency.
“Last month we had a meeting in Tajikistan of the military summit and with this kind of mechanism we are discussing a lot of military cooperation basically joint training, joint patrols
Afghanistan shares a border of about 76 kilometers with China in the far north east. In the past, China has expressed its concern over the activity of insurgency in the region.
Yao meanwhile also said China would implement a number of projects in Afghanistan including the laying of fiber optic cables in Badakhshan.
“Right now the Chinese government is having this so-called Silk Road economic cooperation. It’s not specifically a road; in-fact it is a concept of joint development and common development with all the neighboring countries and Afghanistan is a close neighbor to China especially the province of Badakhshan.”
In the meantime, Ismael Nayel, district governor of Eshkashem said: “If our neighbor China wants to help Afghanistan in the military section it would be a very effective step. They are also launching training sessions between the regional countries.”