China's UN Ambassador Wang Guangya called on the international community on Sunday to continue its all-dimensional assistance to Afghanistan while respecting the will of the Afghan government and its people.

Speaking at the UN high-level meeting on Afghanistan at the UN Headquarters in New York, Wang said the meeting demonstrates the resolve of the international community in continuing its support for the government and people of Afghanistan.

"It is our firm belief that Afghanistan may forge ahead in pain, but never in loneliness," he stressed.

Thanks to the help of the United Nations and the international community, Afghanistan is moving forward in national reconstruction and development. But on the other hand, Afghanistan is still faced with many austere challenges, he said.

The international community should continue to provide assistance to Afghanistan in the fields of security, economic development and social reconstruction and counter-narcotics, Wang said.

"The international community should honor its commitments and continue to support the Afghan government and people," he said.

China supports the United Nations and the UNAMA, or the UN Assistance Mission in Afghanistan, "in playing a core leadership role in the peaceful reconstruction of Afghanistan, and calls on the international community to continue its all-dimensional assistance to Afghanistan while respecting the will of the Afghan government and people," he said.

As a friendly neighbor, China feels deeply the sufferings of Afghanistan and sincerely hopes that the country will achieve national prosperity and social harmony and deliver happy life to its people at an early date, he said.

"To this end, China has played an active part in Afghanistan's post-war reconstruction," Wang said, adding that Chinese President Hu Jintao recently announced that the Chinese government would provide an additional grant of 80 million RMB yuan (about US$10.6 million) to Afghanistan this year.

(Xinhua News Agency September 24, 2007)