China hopes US will properly deal with troop withdrawal in Afghanistan

China on Friday said it hopes US President Obama's announcement on Afghanistan will be conducive to peaceful reconstruction in the country.

Obama announced plans Thursday to keep 5,500 US troops in Afghanistan into 2017, and to maintain the current 9,800 forces through "most of 2016."

Calling the new plan "modest but meaningful," Obama said US troops in Afghanistan will remain focused on training Afghans and counterterrorism operations against the remnants of al-Qaida.

• China hopes the United States will deal with its Afghanistan exit plan and the transfer of security responsibilities in a responsible and proper way, said Foreign Ministry spokesperson Hua Chunying at a routine press briefing.

• Hua said China hopes the US move will respect Afghanistan's independence, sovereignty and territorial integrity, and will be helpful to peace and security in the region.

Obama had previously planned to reduce the current level of 9,800 US troops in Afghanistan to around 5,500 by the end of 2015 and withdraw all troops by the end of 2016, when Obama's presidency comes to an end.
    Xinhua - globaltimes.cn
   16-17/10/15
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