BEIJING, May 27 (INP): China welcomes and appreciates the release of Taliban prisoners and reduction of violence by the Afghan government and Taliban.

A spokesperson of the Chinese Foreign Ministry Zhao Lijian said at news conference that the release of Taliban prisoners is a good omen for peace.

Zhao Lijian said, the Afghan people yearn for peace and cessation of fighting and violence more than anything. This is also the shared aspiration of regional countries and the international community.

The release of the prisoners is conducive to promoting intra-Afghan negotiations and realizing peace and stability. China stands ready to work with the international community to offer support and assistance to the peace and reconciliation process in Afghanistan, he added.

To a question about the origin of the COVID-19, the spokesperson said it is a serious scientific issue that should be studied by scientists and medical experts based on facts and science. 

’We firmly oppose the behavior of politicizing this issue and using it to stigmatize others as it goes against the professional opinions of WHO and a number of research institutions and medical experts. It also goes against the efforts and aspiration of the international community, including China and Japan, in jointly fighting the pandemic,” he added.

Zhao Lijian stressed that indiscriminate political deference shall never take precedence over scientific judgment. Solidarity and cooperation is the most powerful weapon for mankind to defeat the virus, he added.

INP/JAVED