China will strengthen security cooperation with Afghanistan and take measures to protect personnel and organizations in each other’s country, Public Security Minister Guo Shengkun said on May 13.

This will help create a secure and sound environment for building the Silk Road Economic Belt and promoting regional prosperity and stability, Guo said when meeting with Afghanistan Interior Minister Olomi Noorol Haq.

Guo’s meeting with Olomi is the first annual meeting between China’s Public Security Ministry and Afghanistan’s Interior Ministry.

The two countries’ law-enforcement departments maintain close ties, Guo said, hoping that the two sides will continue to deepen cooperation in such areas as combating terrorism, drug control, border management, and capacity building of law-enforcement.

Afghanistan will strengthen security and law-enforcement cooperation with China so as to ensure the security of trade and personnel exchanges between the countries, Olomi said.