China appoints special envoy for Afghanistan

[Toramana]

http://www.reuters.com/article/2014/07/18/us-china-afghanistan-idUSKBN0FN11Z20140718?feedType=RSS&feedName=worldNews

Reuters) - China's Foreign Ministry said on Friday that it had appointed a special envoy for Afghanistan, underscoring Beijing's concerns that the withdrawal of NATO troops will leave a hotbed of militancy on its doorstep.

Sun Yuxi, a former ambassador to both Afghanistan and India, has been named to the new position and will have "close communication" with Afghanistan and other relevant parties, the ministry said in a statement.

"China and Afghanistan are traditional friendly neighbors. China pays great attention to developments in Afghanistan and is committed to deepening both countries' strategic partnership, and so decided to appoint a special envoy," it added.

The envoy's appointment will also help "ensure lasting peace, stability and development for Afghanistan and the region", the ministry said, without providing further details.

China and Afghanistan are connected by a narrow mountainous corridor that is almost impassable and Beijing has traditionally focused on mining and mineral deals in Afghanistan as Western forces battled Taliban insurgents. But officials say that China is emerging as a key strategic player.

One of China's chief worries is that Uighur militants who want a separate state in western China's Xinjiang region will step up their fight by exploiting the security vacuum left after the bulk of NATO forces withdraw by the end of the year.

Hundreds of Uighur fighters are believed to be holed up in rugged, lawless tribal areas straddling Afghanistan and Pakistan.

China has appointed special envoys for troubled regions before, to mixed results.

Its special envoys for Africa and Myanmar have played key roles in regional conflicts, but envoys for the Middle East, where China has less influence, have achieved little.

[Da Bannu Mazdigar]

Meanwhile the new envoy to Afghanistan from China




Chinese envoy to Afghanistan lauds ISI's efforts to fight terrorism

Rejecting Afghan and Indian concerns, China’s newly appointed special envoy for Afghanistan Sun Yuxi applauded Pakistan for fighting terrorism in the region, The Hindu reported on Monday.
The former ambassador to both Afghanistan and India said that the the Inter Services Intelligence (ISI) “has been effective in fighting against terrorism,” while refuting claims that Pakistan was involved in terrorist activities in Afghanistan. Yuxi was addressing his first media conference in Beijing after being appointed as China’s envoy to Afghanistan.
When asked about Afghan President Hamid Karzai’s claims that a Pakistan-based militant group, Lashkar-e-Taiba, was behind the attack by gunmen on an Indian Consulate in Herat on May 23, the envoy said, “I think as an agency for the government and military for Pakistan, the ISI has been effective in fighting against terrorism.”
“As for the specific [Herat] case, I have not been following regional developments for some time but I do believe that the Pakistan government or any responsible agency of Pakistan will only fight against terrorism instead of being involved with any terrorist groups,” said Sun while talking to media.
Sun, who was appointed special envoy last week, added that he hoped to work closely with both India and Pakistan.
“As special envoy, I will keep a close working relationship with counterparts from India and Pakistan so as to contribute to peace and fighting terrorism.”
“I want to tell my colleagues from India and Pakistan that I know that both countries are making efforts to safeguard peace and stability and helping Afghanistan with reconstruction,” he said.
Sun is expected to travel to Islamabad and meet with top government and military leaders to discuss the situation in Afghanistan following his visit to Afghanistan this week.
He also spoke about terror concerns in China involving the East Turkestan Islamic Movement (ETIM) which is thought to have ties with Afghan-based groups and is fighting for independence in the western Xinjiang region of the country.
“When I was ambassador in Afghanistan, particularly before the September 11 attacks, hundreds of people coming from Xinjiang were receiving training in Afghanistan,” he said, adding that the war in Afghanistan dealt “a heavy blow” to those groups.
Sun reassured that China would continue to invest and develop in infrastructure projects in Afghanistan which include building a transport and electrical power network covering the whole country, constructing residential communities and developing mineral resources.
The new emissary said that he was ‘optimistic’ about Afghanistan’s future in light of the US troops’ withdrawal.
“The Afghan government is now in place for 10 years and should begin to shoulder major responsibility,” he said. “The US is beginning to withdraw security forces and we feel happy about this. We also welcome the fact that some military bases of the US are still in operation.”

http://tribune.com.pk/story/738832/chinese-envoy-to-afghanistan-lauds-isis-efforts-to-fight-terrorism/