China has agreed to write off the debts owed to China by Afghanistan.

The debt relief was agreed Wednesday between Chinese Foreign Minister Li Zhaoxing and Afghan Foreign Minister Abdullah at an ongoing international conference on Afghanistan in Berlin.

China is glad to see that the peace and reconstruction process in Afghanistan has made positive headway, said Li before the signing ceremony.

China appreciates that the Afghan government attaches importance to its relations with China and firmly supports China's positions on such issues as Taiwan, human rights and "Eastern Turkistan," he said.

China has listed a number of terrorist groups conducting bombings, murders, arsons, poisonings and assaults in Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region and other parts of China aimed at splitting the region from China and establishing a so-called "Eastern Turkistan."

China supports national reconciliation and post-war construction in Afghanistan and is willing to strengthen overall bilateral cooperation, Li added.

On his part, Abdullah expressed his gratitude to the Chinese government for its long-term support to Afghanistan.

He reiterated that Afghanistan will adopt a consistent policy to develop good neighborly relations with China.

The Afghan foreign minister also briefed Li on the domestic situation and upcoming elections in Afghanistan.

(Xinhua News Agency April 1, 2004)