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Beijing (AFP) March 23, 2010 Afghan President Hamid Karzai was due in China on Tuesday for a visit aimed at drumming up investment to help rebuild his war-ravaged nation and strengthening ties with its powerful neighbour. Karzai is scheduled to meet Chinese President Hu Jintao on Wednesday, ahead of talks with Prime Minister Wen Jiabao the following day, foreign ministry spokesman Qin Gang told reporters. "China is concerned with the current challenges Afghanistan is facing in its efforts to maintain peace and stability and to peacefully rebuild," Qin said. "During President Karzai's visit, we will have an in-depth exchange of views on strengthening political exchanges, deepening mutual trust in the political arena and expanding economic and trade and cooperation in all areas." A series of agreements including economic deals are to be signed, the spokesman said, without revealing any details. More than eight years after the Taliban regime was toppled by US-led forces, China has been increasingly seen as a key player in maintaining stability in Afghanistan, especially in the future when US troops pull out. Karzai's visit is his first to China since his re-election last year. He will present the Chinese leadership with his plan for reconciliation with the Taliban, but financial issues are likely to dominate talks, his spokesman Waheed Omar said ahead of the visit. "Most of what will be discussed with the Chinese government will be on economic issues and a big number of Afghan national businessmen will accompany the president," Omar told reporters last week in the Afghan capital Kabul. China has a keen interest in Afghanistan's natural resources. Three years ago, for example, a Chinese group put a record three billion dollars into the Aynak copper mine, one of the biggest in the world. "We hope to see a peaceful, stable and independent Afghanistan," said Qin, the Chinese foreign ministry spokesman. "We will as always take an active part in the peace and reconstruction process in Afghanistan and provide assistance within our capacity." Karzai is due to leave China on Thursday.
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