On the afternoon of June 19, 2006, Chinese President Hu Jintao held talks in the Great Hall of the People with his Afghan counterpart Hamid Karzai, who was here in China on a state visit. The two heads of state reached important consensus on expanding and strengthening bilateral exchanges and cooperation in all areas, as well as on establishing and developing Sino-Afghan comprehensive cooperative partnership.

Hu spoke highly of the progress of China-Afghanistan ties, expressing his appreciation for the new Afghan government's emphasis on bilateral relations, its adherence to the one-China policy and support for China's grand cause of reunification. Hu noted that, with the concerted efforts from both sides, the Sino-Afghan relations have progressed well since the establishment of the new Afghan government. The two sides have witnessed frequent high-level exchanges, an increasing of contact at all levels, expanded economic and trade cooperation and fruitful cooperation in the areas of security, education and culture. They have also maintained sound coordination in international and regional affairs. China is satisfied with that.

Hu reiterated that China respects the social system and development path independently chosen by the Afghan people and supports the Afghan government's efforts to safeguard national independence, sovereignty and territorial integrity, maintain social stability and develop the economy, promising that China will support and actively participate in the reconstruction process.

Karzai said that bilateral friendship goes back to ancient times and both sides have always remained good neighbors and friends. Since the establishment of the new Afghan government four years ago, China has offered to it firm political support and disinterested economic assistance and made positive contributions to Afghanistan's peace and reconstruction process. The Afghan government and people are grateful for and will always remember that. The Afghan government will continue to resolutely support and abide by the one-China policy and commit itself to all-round development of bilateral friendly relations and cooperation.

Hu indicated that China attaches great importance to bilateral relations and is willing to work with Afghanistan to push for all-round and in-depth development of bilateral relations in the following five aspects. First, bilateral friendship for generations to come should be upheld. Both sides have signed a treaty of good-neighborliness and friendly cooperation and the two countries will earnestly implement the treaty in a bid to substantiate and cement China-Afghanistan all-round cooperative partnership. Second, bilateral economic and trade cooperation should be expanded. China would like to expand cooperation with Afghanistan in such key areas as transportation, electric power, mining and communications, as well as in agriculture, animal husbandry, fishery and water resources utilization to seek mutual benefits and common development. Third, security and policing cooperation should be reinforced. China supports Afghanistan to combat terrorism and organized crimes and is ready to intensify bilateral cooperation in non-traditional security areas including counter-terrorism and narcotics control on the basis of the Kabul declaration on good-neighborly relations and other documents and jointly fight against the "three forces" and transnational crimes. Fourth, cooperation in other areas should also be promoted. China is willing to offer intellectual support for Afghanistan's social and economic reconstruction process and improve cooperation on education, cultural exchanges and human resources development. Fifth, multilateral pragmatic cooperation should be developed. China values communication and coordination with Afghanistan in international and regional affairs and stands ready to cooperate within multilateral frameworks such as the Shanghai Cooperation Organization and the South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation with a view to safeguarding and promoting regional peace and development.

Karzai said that China is an important neighbor of Afghanistan whose future is closely related to China. Strengthening bilateral friendship and cooperation is of utmost importance to Afghanistan's reconstruction and development. The Afghan side fully agreed with Hu's proposals on advancing bilateral comprehensive cooperative partnership and hoped that China will participate in Afghanistan's reconstruction process more vigorously. Afghanistan welcomes Chinese companies to take part in its economic development, and is willing to maintain long-term good-neighborly relations with China and press ahead with cooperation in the areas of economy, trade, infrastructure construction, security, counter-terrorism and narcotics control. Afghanistan also hopes to enhance coordination and cooperation in regional and international affairs and would like to become a bridge for cooperation between China and Central Asian countries.

Following the talks, the two heads of state jointly signed the treaty on good-neighborliness and friendly cooperation between both countries and attended the signing ceremony of several cooperation documents including the agreement on trade and economic cooperation.

Prior to the talks, President Hu hosted a welcome ceremony for Karzai's visit to China in the North Hall of the Great Hall of the People. Vice Chairman Raidi of the Standing Committee of the National People's Congress, State Councilor Tang Jiaxuan, Vice Chairman Zhou Tienong of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference, Vice Chairman Suo Lisheng of the Central Committee of China Democratic League, Chinese Ambassador to Afghanistan Liu Jian and other officials attended the welcome ceremony.