Xi urges Afghanistan to stamp out terrorism

BEIJING Sept 17 (Reuters): China's President Xi Jinping urged "relevant parties" in Afghanistan to eradicate terrorism and promised to provide more help to the war-torn nation, state news agency Xinhua said on Friday.

China shares a land border with Afghanistan, where the Taliban named a new government this month. The Islamist militant group retook control in August as US-led foreign forces ended their 20-year presence there.

Afghanistan should be guided to be more open and inclusive, and pursue moderate domestic and foreign policies, Xi told a meeting of leaders of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation and another regional grouping, the agency said in a report.

"Certain countries" should assume their due responsibilities for Afghanistan's future development as "instigators" of the situation, Xi added, in an apparent reference to the United States and its allies.

Experts say Afghanis-tan's economy is in crisis and a humanitarian disaster looms. Western nations have been reluctant to provide funds to the Taliban without assurances that it will uphold human rights, especially those of women.