Putin and XI Cooperate To Prevent Risk Expansion in Asia

Through a telephone call made on Tuesday, Russia’s President Vladimir Putin and China’s President Xi Jinping expressed their willingness to cooperate in the fight against the threats of terrorism and drug trafficking that the political situation in Afghanistan could generate.

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“Xi called for concerted efforts to encourage all factions in Afghanistan to build an open and inclusive political structure through consultation, implement moderate and prudent domestic and foreign policies, thoroughly dissociate from all terrorist groups, and maintain friendly relations with the rest of the world, especially neighboring countries,” Xinhua reported.

To achieve these goals, the potential of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) will be fully utilized. Currently, the SCO encompasses China, India, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Pakistan, Russia, Tajikistan, and Uzbekistan. The leaders of these countries will hold a summit in Dusambe, the capital of Tajikistan, in mid-September.

On Tuesday, Chinese Foreign Affairs Minister Wang Yi and Dutch Foreign Affairs Minister Sigrid Kaag also exchanged their views on the Afghan situation. Wang said complex disputes among ethnic groups and religious sects, poverty, and refugee issues need to be resolved and risks of a civil war triggered by regional conflicts must be avoided.

He said that the international community now is gradually arriving at a consensus on Afghanistan: to build an open and inclusive political structure; to pursue moderate domestic and foreign policies; and to make a clean break with various terrorist groups.

As the culprit of the Afghan issue, the United States should not simply take to its heels or impose sanctions on Afghanistan, Wang said, adding that it is the U.S. responsibility to properly handle chaos around the Kabul airport, provide necessary economic, humanitarian assistances to Afghanistan and help realize smooth transition in the country through concrete actions.

Minister Kaag agreed with views of the Chinese side on the situation in Afghanistan, saying that the international community should actively provide assistance to the Afghan people through joint efforts, promote the settlement of the Afghan issue on the basis of the principles set by the UN Security Council, and make endeavors to promote regional peace and stability.