China on Monday pledged its support for the U.S.-Taliban peace agreement in Afghanistan and called for the "orderly and responsible" withdrawal of foreign troops to avoid a power vacuum and possible terrorist resurgence.
Foreign ministry spokesman Zhao Lijian said the reconciliation process should be "Afghan-led and Afghan-owned," despite the Taliban's refusal thus far to negotiate directly with Afghanistan's elected government.
China shares a narrow border with Afghanistan and is wary of crime and violence spilling over into its volatile Xinjiang region, which is on a virtual lock-down after years of anti-government bloodshed. China has also provided aid to the Afghan government and is seeking to profit by helping develop the country's deposits of copper and other minerals.
