A united, stable, growing and friendly Afghanistan is what the Afghan people hope for, and it also represents the common interests of countries in the region and the international community. It is important that we vigorously support Afghanistan's peace process and its reconstruction, and work for an early solution of the Afghan issue, as this is the unshirkable and common responsibility of countries in the region and the international community at large. Here, I wish to raise five points regarding the settlement of the Afghan issue.

First, Afghanistan must be governed by the Afghan people. This means that the Afghan people should be allowed to take their destiny into their own hands and truly become the masters of their country. At the end of the day, Afghan affairs should be managed by the Afghan people. We believe that the Afghan people have the ability and wisdom to run their own affairs well and ultimately achieve peace and stability in the country. The international community should truly respect the sovereignty, independence and territorial integrity of Afghanistan, refrain from interfering in its internal affairs, and firmly support Afghanistan in its efforts to achieve security and stability at home.

Second, promote political reconciliation. As a Chinese saying goes, "Harmony at home brings prosperity". The Afghan people long for peace and stability. An Afghanistan fraught with internal strife will not be able to escape war or poverty. To achieve durable peace and prosperity in Afghanistan, it is imperative to promote a broad-based, inclusive political reconciliation. We call on all political parties in Afghanistan to leave behind past grievances, join the political reconciliation process, and discuss ways to achieve peace and development for their country. The international community should support an Afghan-led and Afghan-owned peace and reconciliation process, and create an enabling external environment for peace and reconciliation to happen in Afghanistan.

Third, speed up economic reconstruction. Stability underpins development, while development guarantees stability. Poverty and backwardness breed extremism. Only when it is economically developed will Afghanistan ensure its people enjoy prosperous and happy lives. Only commitment to growing the economy will people's lives improve. There is an adage in China, "Give people fish and you feed them for a day. Teach them how to fish and you feed them for a lifetime". The international community should fulfill its assistance commitment and help Afghanistan enhance its self-development capacity and realize sustained economic development.

Fourth, explore the path of development. Afghanistan faces the daunting task of rebuilding itself after the prolonged war and turbulence. It now stands at a crucial stage of national development. The unique history, culture and the national realities of Afghanistan have determined that there is no ready development model for it to copy. The future path of Afghanistan must be identified by the Afghan people in light of its national realities. The international community should respect the right of Afghan people to independently choose their own social system and development path, so that they can develop a way of governance that suits their national conditions and achieve enduring political stability and sustained economic development.

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