Ahead of SCO summit, China says 'will work closely with members' on Afghanistan crisis

China on Thursday said that it was ready to have "close communication and coordination with relevant countries" on the Afghanistan situation. Ahead of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) Summit, China said that it would work jointly with other member states with an aim to build an open and inclusive political structure in the war-ravaged nation. The eight-member Shanghai Cooperation Organisation is scheduled to hold its 21st summit on Friday, September 17, at Tajikistan's capital Dushanbe.

Ahead of the SCO summit, Chinese foreign ministry spokesman Zhao Lijian, addressing a media briefing, said, "The Afghan situation bears on regional security and stability." He pointed out that members of the SCO and CSTO are all close neighbours of the southcentral Asian country and they would "support the peace and reconstruction and reconciliation process in Afghanistan".

China ready to engage nations in building inclusive political structure in Afghanistan

Speaking at the press briefing, Lijian said that Chinese President Xi Jinping will review the progress of the SCO with leaders of other countries and exchange views on SCO cooperation. Lijian also asserted that China, a member of SCO, was ready to discuss Afghanistan with other nations to build an inclusive infrastructure. Ever since the Taliban has taken over the control of Afghanistan, the issue has taken the centre stage on the international agenda. 

."China is a member of the SCO which is ready to have close communication and coordination with relevant countries, jointly work on Afghanistan to build an open and inclusive political structure, adopt moderate and prudent domestic and foreign policies, make a clean break with all forms of terrorist groups and live on friendly terms with other countries", Zhao Lijian said in the press briefing. 

The eight-member Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) is scheduled to hold its summit in Dushanbe. The Shanghai Cooperation Organisation consists of India, Uzbekistan, China, Russia, Pakistan, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, and Tajikistan. Afghanistan is an observer in the SCO. The SCO has three other observer states that include Iran, Mongolia, and Belarus and six dialogue partners- Armenia, Azerbaijan, Armenia, Cambodia, Nepal, Turkey and Sri Lanka.

(Image: AP)