Interview: Sino-U.S. cooperation essential for world peace: Afghan analyst

Chinese President Xi Jinping, during a state visit to the United States, said that China and the U.S. can work together to better serve the interests of the two countries and the international community by promoting the settlement of international issues, including supporting peaceful reconstruction and economic development in Afghanistan.

President Xi also pointed out that China and the U.S. can join hands to tackle global challenges such as terrorism, climate change and can further contribute to global peace and stability.

Welcoming the remarks, Afghan political analyst and Kabul University professor, Saifudin Saihon, believes that cooperation between the two major powers is essential for stabilizing peace and security in South and Central Asia including Afghanistan and the world at large.

"China and the U.S. as two powers in the world can play an effective role in succeeding with the Afghan peace process, stabilizing peace and security and accelerating the reconstruction process of war-torn Afghanistan," Saihon told Xinhua.

Describing China as a major power and a neighbor of Afghanistan, as well as a major player in the region, the renowned analyst observed that China can contribute to stabilizing peace and economic stability in Afghanistan via investment in development projects.

China has already signed a copper mine exploration agreement in the Aynak area of Logar and an oil and gas exploration agreement in the northern region of Afghanistan, along with pledging to provide funding to the strife-ridden country in the coming years, the political watcher said.

On Afghanistan's expectations from the Sino-U.S. cooperation, the political watcher noted that both the Afghan government and its people hope that Washington and Beijing will work in harmony to ensure lasting peace in the militancy-plagued Afghanistan.

Referring to terrorism as a potential threat to the global community, the analyst said that the Taliban, al-Qaida and the so- called Islamic State (IS) have been attempting to gain ground in Afghanistan and their success will destabilize the whole region and the world at large.

"Terrorists during the Taliban regime organized the biggest terrorist attacks on U.S. soil in September 2001, but have said that such an offensive won't take place if terrorists re-establish their reign here in Afghanistan," Saihon maintained.

He expressed concerns, however, that the Iraq and Syrian-based IS outfit has been striving to secure its foothold in the region including Afghanistan.

IS fighters for the first time engaged with Afghan security forces in the eastern Nangarhar province on Sunday and have reportedly declared war against Taliban militants, which have been fighting to re-establish their brutal rule in Afghanistan.

However, the analyst observed that China can boost economic activities in the region by connecting its territory with Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan and Afghanistan via railways.

"Both China and the U.S. can work together to resolve international problems including the Afghanistan crisis, conflict in Syria, instability in the Middle East, the DPRK's nuclear issue, climate change, and the alleviation of poverty in the world," the Afghan analyst said. Endi