China at G20 Insists West Must End Sanctions vs. Afghanistan!

Sept. 23, 2021 (EIRNS)—China’s State Councillor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi said at the G20 today that unilateral sanctions on Afghanistan should be lifted as one of his six recommendations, according to the Foreign Ministry briefing. First, he said “humanitarian assistance is of utmost urgency,” and China will provide RMB200 million in supplies to Afghanistan, including an initial batch of 3 million doses of COVID-19 vaccines. “Second, economic sanctions must stop. Various unilateral sanctions or restrictions on Afghanistan should be lifted.” Afghanistan’s foreign reserves are national assets that should not be used to exert political pressure. China called on G20 members to take action to ease Afghanistan’s liquidity pressure. Third, he said, interactions and engagement must be inclusive.

Fourth, counter-terrorism cooperation should be deepened, and the international community should “oppose double standards and selective counter-terrorism, and prevent Afghanistan from becoming a hotbed ... for terrorism again.”  Fifth, he said, the U.S. and NATO bear primary responsibility for resolving Afghanistan’s refugee and migrant issue, and the international community should help speed up the country’s economic reconstruction to ease the refugee numbers. Finally, he stressed that China supports the role of the UN as the main channel for upholding peace and stability and promoting humanitarian assistance in Afghanistan.