Kong, who was holding his first regular press conference as spokesman for the ministry, said China believes the restart of the work of the embassy will further promote Sino-Afghan cooperation.

Vice-Foreign Minister Wang Yi will head a delegation to attend the ceremony marking the re-opening of the embassy, which was closed in 1993 for security reasons.

China, which shares a border with Afghanistan, has already pledged US$150 million worth of assistance to the task of rebuilding the shattered Islamic country.

Kong called on "countries concerned'' to take actions conducive to the maintenance of peace and stability in South Asia.

"We hope that countries in South Asia and the international community will do more to ensure peace and stability in the region,'' said Kong.

India test-fired an intermediate-range nuclear-capable ballistic missile off its eastern coast last Friday, drawing concern from its South Asian neighbor Pakistan and other countries worldwide.

US Ambassador to India Robert Blackwill said on Monday that the United States will resume arms sales to India with the clearance of export licences of 20 weapons systems after nearly four decades of sanctions.

Kong, the Foreign Ministry's new spokesman, welcomed Russian President Vladimir Putin's signing of a federal law, which makes last July's good-neighborly treaty of friendship and co-operation between Russia and China a binding document to guide future bilateral ties.

Describing the treaty as important, Kong said it sets down the legal framework for the long-term friendship as well as providing guidance for the development of comprehensive relations in the new century.

The treaty, the first of its kind between China and Russia after a 1950s Sino-Soviet Union alliance pact broke up, was inked last July when Chinese President Jiang Zemin paid a state visit to Russia.

Kong also praised a recent notice issued by Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen opposing any attempt to separate Taiwan from China and ordering that government officials should not have official contact with Taiwan. China highly appreciates Cambodia's lasting adherence to the one-China policy, said Kong.

The move by the Cambodian Government is conducive to the sound development of Sino-Cambodian relations, said Kong. He added that China is confident Cambodia will continue with its one-China policy and support Chinese people's efforts for peaceful reunification.

(China Daily January 30, 2002)