China is supporting Afghanistan’s defence, counter-terrorism efforts: Defence Ministry

BEIJING: While rejecting reports of building a base in Afghanistan, Chinese defence ministry's spokesman said on Thursday that China was supporting Afghanistan’s defence and counter-terrorism efforts.

“China and Afghanistan have normal military and security cooperation”, Wu Qian said while responding to a question during his monthly briefing held here.

He said “China and the international community are all supporting Afghanistan to strengthen its defence and counterterrorism building efforts."

The spokesman said that at present, both the countries were in communication and coordination about the relevant matter.

“China is willing to continue working hard with Afghanistan to jointly protect both countries and regional security and stability,” Wu said.

Earlier, Chinese foreign ministry’s spokesperson had also rejected a media report that China had begun to build a military training camp in the Wakhan corridor in Afghanistan.

“It is understood that the relevant reports are not true,” Chinese foreign ministry’s spokesperson Hua Chunying told reporters on Wednesday.

The corridor is a narrow strip of inhospitable and barely accessible land extending about 350km (220 miles) from the northern Afghan province of Badakhshan to China’s region of Xinjiang.