The Chinese government donated US$1.5 million of goods and cash to Afghan authorities on Thursday to assist poverty-stricken refugees in this country.

Chinese Ambassador to Afghanistan Yang Houlan handed over US$200,000 of cash to Afghan acting refugee minister Abdul Qader Ahadi and signed an agreement to confirm the donation of US$1.3 million of goods, which would cover infrastructure, education, health and so on.

Ambassador Yang said, "China has been a longtime supporter and an active participant in Afghanistan's reconstruction. The Chinese government and people will stand firmly with Afghan friends and provide whatever assistance in its capacity."

About 4 million Afghan refugees have returned home from abroad over the past five years after the Taliban regime's collapse, but many are still leading a hard life due to poverty and insecurity.

Millions of Afghans are still living in neighboring Pakistan and Iran as refugees nowadays.

(Xinhua News Agency August 31, 2007)