A treaty on friendly cooperation which also pledged to strengthen links on security matters was signed Monday by the Presidents of China and Afghanistan 

The two countries would exert joint efforts to fight the "three evil forces" of separatism, extremism and terrorism as well as transnational crimes, Chinese President Hu Jintao said in talks with the visiting Afghan leader Hamid Karzai before the treaty was signed.
 
"China will implement the treaty which will assist substantiate and cement the China-Afghanistan all-round cooperative partnership," Hu said.

Hu spoke highly of the progress of China-Afghanistan relations and expressed his appreciation for the Afghan government placing emphasis on bilateral relations and its support for the one-China policy.

He noted that with the concerted efforts of both countries relations had progressed well since the establishment of the new Afghan government.

"The two sides share frequent high-level exchanges, fruitful cooperation in various fields and good coordination on international and regional issues which we are satisfied with," Hu added.

Hu emphasized that China respected the social system and development path chosen by the Afghan people. China would support the government's efforts to safeguard national independence, sovereignty and territorial integrity, the maintenance of social stability and the development of the economy. He gave an assurance that China would actively participate in the reconstruction process.

Hu said China would expand cooperation with Afghanistan in economy and trade, transportation, telecommunications, agriculture, water resource utilization as well as education, cultural exchanges and human resources development.

 "China is also willing to offer intellectual support for Afghanistan's social and economic reconstruction process," Hu said.
 
China valued the communication and coordination with Afghanistan in international and regional affairs and was willing to work within multilateral frameworks such as the Shanghai Cooperation Organization and the South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation, Hu added.

Karzai said China, a significant neighbor of Afghanistan, was playing an important role in the country's reconstruction.
 
Afghanistan welcomed Chinese companies to participate in its economic redevelopment and was willing to maintain long-term and good relations with China, added Karzai.
 
He also expressed his appreciation of China's firm political support and economic assistance which was making a major contribution to the country's reconstruction.

The Afghan government would continue to uphold the one-China policy and was willing to strengthen cooperation in international and regional affairs, said Karzai. He added that he was happy for Afghanistan to act as a bridge for China's cooperation with central Asian countries.

Karzai arrived in Beijing on Sunday evening on a four-day state visit.

(Xinhua News Agency June 20, 2006)