Xi’s Thought on Diplomacy Guides China and Afghanistan Towards a Deeper and Richer Relationship
习近平外交思想指导中阿关系走深走实
Chinese Ambassador Wang Yu to Afghanistan
驻阿富汗大使王愚
5 August 2020
2020年8月5日
Not long ago, Chinese State Councilor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi called a video conference of Foreign Ministers of China, Afghanistan, Pakistan, and Nepal on COVID-19. He put forward four major proposals to enhance cooperation across countries in pandemic response and promote post-pandemic recovery and economic development. He also reaffirmed Chinese supports for the other three countries including in terms of vaccines. The Chinese Foreign Ministry, National Health Commission, International Development Cooperation Agency and other departments also held a joint meeting with the Afghan Foreign Ministry, Civil Aviation Administration, Ministry of Finance and Ministry of Commerce and Industry on COVID-19 response. At the meeting, Chinese experts shared their experience in pandemic control, and the two sides discussed about response measures, production resumption and personnel exchanges and agreed to increase the export of high-quality agricultural products of Afghanistan to China as soon as possible.
不久前，中国国务委员兼外长王毅倡议召开了中国、阿富汗、巴基斯坦、尼泊尔四国外长应对新冠肺炎疫情视频会议，提出四大倡议，致力于增进抗疫合作，促进疫后复苏和经济发展，并重申对阿富汗等国的疫苗支持。中国外交部、卫健委、国合署等部门还同阿外交部、民航局、财政部、商工部等举行了中阿联防联控会议，中国专家分享了抗疫经验，双方热情交流了增进疫情防控、复工复产和人员往来的措施，尤其是尽快增加阿优质特色农产品向中国出口。
In the past six months, I have witnessed many touching stories of China-Afghanistan cooperation in the fight against COVID-19. I was personally involved in the delivery of medical supplies on three different occasions and food reliefs to Afghanistan. Many of my Chinese colleagues have worked around the clock to coordinate the transportation and distribution of supplies, making sure that they reach the needy Afghan people and bringing health and hope to many Afghan families.
近半年来，我见证了中阿许多抗疫合作的感人故事，亲身参加了三次中国向阿援助抗疫物资，一次向阿提供大量粮食“救济包”。我的许多中国同事们夜以继日、牺牲休息时间，协调物资运输和分配，保证物资送到有需要的阿民众手中，为许多阿家庭送去了健康和希望。
As concrete manifestations of Chinese President Xi Jinping’s Thought on Diplomacy in Afghanistan and China-Afghanistan relations, all these efforts have brought tangible benefits to the Chinese and Afghan peoples. With the vision and insight of a great strategist, Xi truly understands the laws of human society development. On the basis of solidly-based judgements on the course of international development and the historical position of China, he has put forward a series of new ideas, propositions and initiatives rich in Chinese characteristics while embodying the spirit of the times and leading the trend of human progress. With those, he gave clear answers to a series of important theoretical and practical questions. For example, what kind of world should China promote? What kind of international relations should China develop? What kind of diplomacy does China need? And how can China do a good job in diplomacy in the new era? These answers constitute and establish the Xi Jinping Thought on Diplomacy of socialism with Chinese characteristics for a new era. Guided by his vision, we will enjoy new opportunities for bilateral relations to continue growing steadily and for our good-neighbourly friendship to become deeper and richer in contents.
这些努力，都是习近平外交思想在阿富汗及中阿关系方面的展现，给中阿两国人民带来实实在在的收益。习主席以伟大战略家的远见卓识，准确把握人类社会发展规律，全面判断国际形势走向和中国所处历史方位，提出了一系列富有中国特色、体现时代精神、引领人类进步潮流的新理念新主张新倡议，旗帜鲜明地回答了中国应当推动建设什么样的世界、构建什么样的国际关系，中国需要什么样的外交、怎样办好新时代外交等一系列重大理论和实践问题，形成和确立了习近平新时代中国特色社会主义外交思想。在这一思想指引下，中阿关系迎来65年平稳发展，睦邻友好持续走深走实。
According to Xi’s thought, the diplomacy of China as a major power in today’s world must be focused on pursuing a new model of international relations and developing a community of shared future for mankind. Over the years, China has adhered to the strategy of mutual benefit and win-win and formed a new pattern of comprehensive opening-up championed through the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI). As the initiative and concept turned into concrete actions, the BRI has rapidly grown into an open and inclusive platform for international cooperation and a universally welcome global public good. More than 100 countries and international organizations have become active supporters and participants. Among them, Afghanistan benefits most from the infrastructure construction and ensuing regional connectivity. China has assisted in the construction of the Jomhuriat Hospital in Kabul, the National Vocational and Technical College and the school building and auditorium in Kabul University. The Afghanistan-China air freight corridor and regular cargo train services have helped to export Afghan goods to Central Asia, Persian Gulf region, South Asia and China in particular. Marketable rugs, dried fruits, vegetables and so on have generated considerable income for Afghanistan and stimulated economic growth here. The delivery to Afghanistan of Chinese goods and aids, with full friendly sentiments, has also been facilitated.
习近平外交思想是习近平新时代中国特色社会主义思想的有机组成，明确中国特色大国外交要推动构建新型国际关系，推动构建人类命运共同体。多年来，中国坚持推行互利共赢的开放战略，形成了以“一带一路”为统领的对外开放新格局。“一带一路”从倡议变为行动，从理念转化为实践，快速成长为开放包容的国际合作平台、各方普遍欢迎的全球公共产品，100多个国家和国际组织积极支持和参与。在这些国家中间，阿富汗受益于“一带一路”的基础设施建设和地区互联互通优势最为明显。中国在阿援建了喀布尔共和国医院、国家职业技术学院、喀布尔大学综合教学楼和礼堂等。“阿中空中货运走廊”、中阿货运班列帮助阿商品出口到中亚、波斯湾地区、南亚地区，特别是中国。适销对路的地毯、干果、蔬菜等为阿带来可观收入，刺激阿富汗经济增长。中国商品和援助物资也能更加顺利抵阿，不断带来中国人民的深情厚谊。
Xi’s thought embodies the principles of amity, sincerity, mutual benefit and inclusiveness in conducting neighbourhood diplomacy so that China’s development will benefit more its neighbors and facilitate common development. As a traditional friendly neighbor, China has always attached great importance to helping Afghanistan in public health and by providing humanitarian assistance. In 2014, the Jomhuriat Hospital in Kabul, built with Chinese aid, was put into operation. In 2017, the humanitarian aid programme for children suffering major diseases was launched with the BRI framework; by the end of 2019, the Chinese Red Cross Foundation had received a total of 184 children with congenital heart disease for treatment in China. Since the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic, the Chinese government and all sectors of society have given strong support to the fight against the epidemic in Afghanistan. China has so far shipped three batches of pandemic response supplies totaling 20 tons and held two teleconferences for medical experts to share their experiences. The Chinese Embassy has sent food relief packages to civilians in Kabul. Some non-governmental organizations and individuals have donated to Afghanistan on their own to convey the profound friendship of the Chinese people.
习近平外交思想秉持亲诚惠容的周边外交理念，使中国发展更多惠及周边国家，实现共同发展。作为阿传统友好近邻，中国一贯注重帮助阿公共卫生建设，为阿提供人道主义援助。2014年，中国援建的喀布尔共和国医院正式投入使用；2017年，“天使之旅——‘一带一路’大病患儿人道救助计划”启动，中国红十字基金会接治先心病患儿。今年阿新冠疫情爆发后，中国政府和社会各界大力支持阿抗疫。中方迄已运来3批抗疫物资，两次举行中阿医疗专家远程会议，分享中国抗疫经验，使馆还为喀布尔平民送去粮食救济包。更有民间机构、人士自行向阿捐助，送去中国人民的深情厚谊。
Xi’s thought contains a balanced approach to upholding principles and pursuing interests based on the belief that “a state’s interests lie not with profits but with principles”. In this connection, China has always carried out pragmatic cooperation with other countries on the basis of mutual benefit and win-win. The Five Principles of Peaceful Coexistence proposed in the early years of the People’s Republic of China have become basic norms governing international relations. Since the start of reform and opening up in the late 1970s, China has persisted in the pursuit of peaceful development, not only realizing its own economic rise but also motivating many other countries to reform and open up, thus making a great contribution to world peace. Since the 18th National Congress of the Communist Party, China has announced its mission towards a great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation and actively promoted the building of a new model of international relations and a community of shared future for mankind. In this process, China has developed into an important force for world peace and stability.
习近平外交思想蕴含了“国不以利为利，以义为利”的大国义利观。中国外交始终本着互利共赢原则与其他国家开展务实合作。如今，和平共处五项原则已成为国际关系的基本准则；改革开放以来，中国坚持走和平发展道路，不仅实现了自身经济崛起，还带动了不少国家进行改革开放，有力地促进了世界和平发展事业；中国共产党十八大以来，中国以实现中华民族伟大复兴为使命，积极推动构建新型国际关系和人类命运共同体，使中国成为推动世界和平稳定的中坚力量。
According to Xi’s Thought on Diplomacy, China must firmly defend multilateralism. In today’s world, unilateralism and protectionism are surging against the tide. President Xi has stated on multiple international occasions the Chinese determination to pursue multilateralism. “China’s determination to support multilateralism will not change”; “Multilateralism is an effective way to maintain peace and promote development”; “The core of multilateralism is that international affairs should be done through discussion among all countries and not decided by one or a few”, he said. Following the outbreak of COVID-19 in Wuhan late last year, most governments and people around the world took the initiative to provide anti-epidemic supplies to China, helping the latter to manage through the most difficult times. When the pandemic spread to most parts of the world, China was still working hard to control it at home and, with a belief in a community of health for mankind, did its best to send large quantities of pandemic response supplies and experienced teams of experts to other countries, especially developing ones such as Afghanistan, winning extensive praises. In the future, vaccines developed and produced in China will also become accessible and affordable public goods for developing countries. Countries including Afghanistan will be prioritized users.
习近平外交思想坚定捍卫多边主义。近年来，在一些国家故步自封，坚持崇尚实力和零和博弈的过时观点时，习近平主席在多个国际场合阐明中国坚定奉行多边主义的重大主张。“中国支持多边主义的决心不会改变”，“多边主义是维护和平、促进发展的有效路径”，“要弘扬多边主义，其核心要义是，国际上的事应该由大家商量着办，不能由一国或少数几个国家说了算”。去年底疫情在中国武汉出现后，世界上大多数国家政府和民众积极主动援助中方抗疫物资，帮助中国度过了最困难的日子。疫情在世界广泛蔓延后，中方秉持人类健康卫生共同体理念，不惧疫情二次爆发风险，尽己所能向世界各国，尤其是阿富汗等发展中国家送去大量抗疫物资，派遣有经验的专家组，收获广泛好评。
Dear friends, the wheel of history is irreversible. China will not rest in its efforts to build a community of shared future for mankind, nor will the fundamentals of a solid China-Afghanistan relationship change for a long time to come. Guided by the Xi Jinping Thought on Diplomacy, China will work with the Afghan side to defeat the pandemic, embrace peace and build an open, inclusive, clean and beautiful world of lasting peace, universal security and common prosperity.
朋友们，历史的车轮不可逆转，中国推动建设人类命运共同体的努力不会停歇，中阿关系长期向好的基本面也不会改变。中方将继续以习近平外交思想为指引，与阿方一道战胜疫情，迎接和平，推动建设持久和平、普遍安全、共同繁荣、开放包容、清洁美丽的世界。