China congratulates Afghan President Ghani on inauguration for second term

China congratulated incumbent Afghan President Mohammad Ashraf Ghani on his inauguration for a second term, a foreign ministry spokesperson said at a press briefing Tuesday.

Spokesperson Geng Shuang said China respects the Afghan people's independent decision on the country's future, calling on all parties in Afghanistan to prioritize the interests of the country and the people, forge consensus, and facilitate the process of peaceful reconstruction and reconciliation.

China is willing to work with the new Afghan government and people from all walks of life to continue the traditional friendship between the two countries and better benefit the two peoples, Geng said.

Noting that the situation in Afghanistan is at a crucial stage as the United States and Taliban have inked a deal, and intra-Afghan negotiations are expected to be held soon, Geng said the Afghan people now face a valuable opportunity to end the four decades' war, despite severe challenges ahead.

The Chinese side hopes the international community will respect the wishes of the Afghan people, continue to support intra-Afghan reconciliation and help the country achieve peace at an early date, Geng said.

"We also call on foreign troops stationed in Afghanistan to pull out in an orderly and responsible way to ensure a smooth transition and keep terrorist groups from taking advantage of the chaos," the spokesperson added.