Chinese State Councilor and Foreign Minister Qin Gang briefs reporters after the second informal meeting of foreign ministers of China, Russia, Pakistan and Iran on the Afghan issue in Samarkand, Uzbekistan, on April 13, 2023. [Photo/Xinhua]

The international community should view the Afghan issue in a comprehensive, balanced and objective way, Chinese State Councilor and Foreign Minister Qin Gang said on Thursday.

At a press conference held after the second informal meeting of the foreign ministers of China, Russia, Pakistan and Iran, Qin answered a question about China's view on the Afghan authorities' ban on Afghan women working for UN agencies in Afghanistan.

Qin said that UN agencies have played an important role in coordinating various countries' positions on Afghanistan and promoting international support for Afghanistan.

He said that China and other friendly neighbors of Afghanistan are concerned about the recent policies and measures taken by the Afghan side and their possible impact on the basic rights and interests of Afghan women, the humanitarian situation and international cooperation.

Qin noted that since the Taliban came to power in Afghanistan, they have stressed on many occasions the need to respect and protect women's rights and interests.

"We look forward to the implementation of these policies. We hope that Taliban will pay attention to the concerns of the international community and solve relevant issues through friendly consultation with relevant parties," said Qin.

Qin stressed that the issue of women's rights and interests is very important, but it is not the whole issue of Afghanistan, nor is it the core or root cause of Afghanistan's problems.

"We should neither turn a blind eye to this problem nor ignore it," said Qin. "The international community should view the Afghan issue in a comprehensive, balanced and objective way."

He said that two-thirds of the Afghan population is still hungry, and the Afghan people are still living under the shadow of terrorist threats and external interference.

"The Afghan issue requires a comprehensive, systematic solution," said Qin. "Only when the society is stable, safety is under control, and the economy develops, can women's rights and interests be fundamentally protected."

China maintains that the international community continues to help Afghanistan develop its economy and improve people's livelihood, continues to provide humanitarian and development assistance, and promotes Afghanistan's moderate and steady governance through dialogue and communication, said Qin.

In this way, the basic rights and interests of all Afghan people, including women, children and ethnic minorities, can be effectively protected, he concluded.

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