On January 26, 2016, Foreign Minister Wang Yi held talks with visiting Foreign Minister Salahuddin Rabbani of Afghanistan in Beijing.

Wang Yi expressed that Afghanistan, situated in the center of Asia, was a bright pearl along the ancient Silk Road. Wars and chaos have haunted Afghanistan and made its people suffer for years. Afghanistan is now actively advancing its reconciliation process and vigorously carrying out its reconstruction, and China, as its friendly neighbor, will give firm support. China will, together with Afghanistan, deepen all-round mutually beneficial cooperation with a focus on development cooperation and security cooperation so as to enrich their strategic cooperative partnership.

Salahuddin Rabbani expressed that China is a close friend of Afghanistan and always stands side by side with it when it is in difficult times. Afghanistan highly appreciates and sincerely thanks China for its important and constructive role in the peace, reconstruction and reconciliation processes. China's support consolidated the determination and confidence of the Afghan government and people in advancing the peace process. Afghanistan will constantly expand common interests with China and take an active part in "Belt and Road" construction.

Wang Yi and Salahuddin Rabbani reached following consensuses on deepening bilateral relations:

First, the two countries will enhance high-level exchanges. China welcomes Chief Executive Officer Abdullah Abdullah of Afghanistan to visit China at a time of mutual convenience this year. Both sides will push for more bilateral meetings between their leaders on multilateral occasions.

Second, China firmly supports the reconstruction of Afghanistan and will mainly help the country build houses, train talents and improve people's livelihood. China will also help the country formulate infrastructure plan and blueprint its future development.

Third, China supports Afghanistan to play its geographic advantages, to enhance connectivity with its neighboring countries and to join the regional economic cooperation in Asia. China welcomes Afghanistan to take part in "Belt and Road" construction and both sides agreed to discuss and sign the intergovernmental cooperation document on jointly building the "Belt and Road".

Fourth, security is the precondition and guarantee for development. Afghanistan is at the forefront of anti-terrorism. Both sides agreed to boost bilateral and multilateral cooperation in anti-terrorism so as to together maintain security and stability of the two countries and the region at large.

Fifth, the two countries will strengthen people-to-people and cultural exchanges. China will earnestly fulfill its commitments of providing training and government scholarship for Afghan personnel. Both sides will support exchanges between their colleges, universities, think-tanks and local governments.

Sixth, both sides agreed to intensify cooperation in international and regional mechanisms related to Afghanistan, support the positive role of the Istanbul Process in Afghanistan's pursuit for peace and reconstruction, and hold discussions on expanding the trilateral cooperation among China, the US and Afghanistan. Afghanistan expressed its hope to become a formal member of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization and join the Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank at an early date, which China values and welcomes.