China holds that any decision made by the United Nations Security Council should help resolve the problems in Afghanistan as soon as possible, benefit the efforts on the matter made by the UN secretary-general and relevant parties, and relieve the humanitarian situation in Afghanistan.

Chinese Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Zhang Qiyue made the statement here this afternoon at a regular press conference.

The UN Security Council decided to impose new sanctions against Afghanistan's warring party, the Taliban, on December 19. The sanctions will go into effect in 30 days unless the Taliban authorities close alleged terrorist training camps and deliver Osama bin Laden to be tried for the 1998 bombing of the U.S. embassies in Kenya and Tanzania.

China has chosen to abstain from the voting for UN Security Council resolution 1333, which, if passed, will impose further sanctions against Taliban, Zhang said, adding that China is firmly opposed to any act of terrorism.

Zhang said that China, with a constructive attitude, has joined the consultations about resolution 1333, and as Afghanistan's neighbor, China hopes that Afghanistan will achieve peace as soon as possible.

(Xinhua 12/21/2000)