President of Afghanistan Hamid Karzai had a visit to People’s Republic of China with a number of governmental delegates including the ministers of foreign affairs
defense, mines, and more than 20 leading entrepreneurs. Afghanistan's minister of mines stated about the development of 11 natural gas sites in the northwestern Afghan provinces of Jowzjan and Maimana where an international tender is now planning to determine the priority gas field operations by Afghans.
During the negotiations between the two presidents; Mr. Hu Jintao expressed his country’s support and aid to Afghanistan reconstruction. Further he added,” both countries would actively strike at terrorism, separatism and religious extremism.” China is already a major source of consumer goods for Afghanistan where the bilateral trade between China and Afghanistan reached the amount 439 million dollars in the year 2009 based on Central Statistics Department, Afghanistan.
During the visit, three bilateral agreements were signed which were meant to expand trade, investment, economic cooperation, technology transfer, transportation, basic infrastructure, agriculture, irrigation, mining, training programs and preferential tariff agreements for Afghan export to China.
In a joint statement issued at the conclusion of Mr. Karzai's visit, he further reaffirmed “the principle of noninterference into other countries' internal affairs, its respect for Afghanistan's independence, sovereignty and territorial integrity, its respect for the Afghan people's choice of a development road suited to their national conditions.” It is worth mentioning here that H.E President Karzai was accompanied by a delegation head of Afghanistan Chamber of Commerce and Industries and a number of national traders and entrepreneurs of the country.
