In a show of united opposition, China, Russia, Pakistan and Iran jointly called for “respect” for the sovereignty of Afghanistan on Thursday, following remarks by US President Donald Trump that his country will “take back” a former military airbase in the country.
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On Thursday, Yue Xiaoyong, a Chinese foreign ministry special envoy for Afghanistan, held an informal meeting with the delegations from Russia, Pakistan and Iran on the sidelines of the United Nations General Assembly in New York, according to the foreign ministry.
In a joint statement following the meeting, the four nations stressed “respect for Afghanistan’s sovereignty, independence and territorial integrity”, while reiterating firm opposition to the establishment of military bases in Afghanistan and the region by countries responsible for the current situation in Afghanistan, foreign ministry spokesman Guo Jiakun said on Friday.
“As a neighbour of Afghanistan and a responsible country, China is willing to continue to work with the international community to provide assistance to Afghanistan and play a constructive role in Afghanistan’s peaceful reconstruction,” Guo said.
The joint statement was issued in response to Trump’s remarks last week that Washington intended to take back the Bagram airbase in Afghanistan, citing its proximity to China’s nuclear facilities.
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The Soviet-built facility is located about 70km (43 miles) north of Kabul and less than 800km from Afghanistan’s border with the Xinjiang Uygur autonomous region in western China, which hosts key nuclear weapons facilities such as the Lop Nur nuclear testing and missile base.
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