SOCHI, Russia — Premier Li Keqiang said on Dec 1 that China is willing to play a constructive role in Afghanistan’s peaceful reconstruction.

Premier Li made the pledge when meeting with Afghan government Chief Executive Abdullah Abdullah on the sidelines of the 16th meeting of the Council of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) Heads of Government (Prime Ministers).

He said China supports a wide and inclusive political reconciliation process led and owned by the Afghan people, and is ready to assist Afghanistan in realizing its domestic political stability and economic development.

Expanding pragmatic cooperation between China and Afghanistan on economy and trade cannot be done without a safe and stable external environment, said Premier Li, adding that China will enhance dialogue and cooperation with Afghanistan and Pakistan with the goal of achieving long-term regional stability and security in an early date.

Abdullah called China a good neighbor of Afghanistan, saying developing ties with China conforms with the common interests of the two countries.

Afghanistan appreciates China’s efforts to promote the reconciliation process in Afghanistan, as well as its positive role in promoting the country’s economic reconstruction, capacity-building and livelihood improvement and its assistance within multilateral frameworks, said Abdullah.

Afghanistan is ready to make joint efforts with China to take Afghanistan-China relations to a new height, he said.

The SCO has China, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Russia, Tajikistan, Uzbekistan, India and Pakistan as its full members. It has four observer states, namely Iran, Afghanistan, Belarus and Mongolia, and six dialogue partners, namely Armenia, Azerbaijan, Cambodia, Nepal, Sri Lanka and Turkey.