China to send special envoy to Afghanistan for Karzai's inauguration

The Chinese government will send Assistant Foreign Minister Li Hui as its special envoy to attend the inauguration of Afghanistan's first-elected president Hamid Karzai on Dec. 7, at the invitation of the Afghan government, Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Zhang Qiyue announced Thursday.

China attached great importance to its ties with Afghanistan, Zhang told a regular press conference.

"We hope the Afghan people can smoothly fulfill the historic mission of national reconstruction under the leadership of President Karzai," she said.