Madam President,

The situation in Afghanistan has undergone major changes. We respect the will and choice of the Afghan people. The top priority at this moment is to restore peace, stability and order in Afghanistan at an early date. The safety and interests of Afghan civilians and foreign nationals must be guaranteed. The rights and interests of diplomatic missions and personnel in Afghanistan are inviolable. China has noted that the Afghan Taliban have said publicly through different channels that they would resolve the problems people face, meet people’s aspirations and stay committed to forming an open and inclusive Islamic government. They have announced that former government staff would be pardoned and women’s rights and interests would be protected, including freedom of expression, right to employment and access to education.

China encourages and hopes that the Afghan Taliban will follow through its positive statements, unite with all parties and ethnic groups in Afghanistan, establish an open and inclusive political framework that fits its national conditions and wins public support through dialogue and consultation with the least delay, and adopt moderate and prudent domestic and foreign policies. It is also hoped that the Afghan Taliban will curb all kinds of terrorist and criminal acts, ensure a smooth transition of the situation in Afghanistan, and enable the war-torn Afghan people to leave war and turmoil and rebuild their homeland as soon as possible.

It must be pointed out that the United States and a few other countries, under the pretext of democracy and human rights, conducted military interventions in sovereign states, imposed their own models on countries with different history, culture, and national conditions. Such acts have seriously undermined the sovereignty and territorial integrity of those countries and brought severe disasters to their people. This indeed is a profound lesson. It has been proven again that power politics and military means lead nowhere. On the contrary, they only undermine regional security and stability and violate human rights of the local people. Military personel of the United States, the United Kingdom and Australia must be held accountable for their violations of human rights in Afghanistan, and the resolution of this Special Session should cover this issue.

China has always respected the sovereignty, independence, and territorial integrity of Afghanistan, adhered to non-interference in Afghanistan’s internal affairs and pursued a friendly policy toward the entire Afghan people. China stands ready to continue to develop good-neighborliness and friendly cooperation with Afghanistan and play a constructive role in Afghanistan’s peace and reconstruction.

Thank you, Madam President.