Afghan adviser in China amid push for 'long-term stability'

Afghanistan's national security adviser is visiting Beijing as his beleaguered nation seeks help in ending its 17-year-old war with the Taliban.

Hamdullah Mohib met with Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi on Thursday night, telling him Afghanistan is seeking to "bring some long-term stability to our region." China and Afghanistan share a narrow border and have cooperated on frontier security.

Wang emphasised the "mutual understanding and mutual support" the countries have offered each other and China's backing of efforts to promote peace and political reconciliation in Afghanistan.

On Wednesday, the Afghan president's special peace envoy, Mohammad Omer Daudzai, expressed hope that the war that has cost the US about USD 1 trillion will end in 2019.

Washington's special peace envoy, Zalmay Khalilzad, is also visiting India, China, Pakistan and Afghanistan.