China has decided to provide non-reimbursable assistance of 1.5 billion yuan (approximately 244 million US dollars) for the next three years to Afghanistan. In so doing, it will help the country to train 3,000 people of all circles in the upcoming five years and to provide 500 scholarships. Prime Minister of China, Mr Li Keqiang, focused on this issue while addressing the opening ceremony of the fourth ministerial conference of the Istanbul Process on Afghanistan on 31 October 21014. As he mentioned: ‘Firm support for Afghanistan’s peaceful reconstruction should be concrete action instead of verbal commitment’.
