Kabul, Oct 17 (IANS): Chinese Ambassador to Afghanistan, Yao Jing, has said that Beijing will provide 1 million USD worth of emergency food aid to Afghanistan via the WFP.

Yao, together with Paul Howe, World Food Programme (WFP) Deputy Country Director for Afghanistan, attended the launch ceremony of the assistance project here on Monday, Xinhua reported.

The Chinese ambassador said that as winter draws near, displaced people in the country are faced with difficulties.

As a friendly and close neighbour to Afghanistan, China hopes to work with the WFP in helping the Afghan people get through the food crisis, he said.

It is the first cooperation between China and the WFP in Afghanistan, according to the Chinese envoy.

Howe thanked China for its support and contribution to the WFP's work in Afghanistan, saying the organisation sees the project as the beginning of a new and fruitful cooperation between the two sides, which will help achieve the shared vision of an Afghanistan free from hunger.

"WFP Afghanistan sees this exciting development as a foundation for a new and fruitful partnership between WFP Afghanistan and the government of China that will help achieve our shared vision of an Afghanistan free from hunger."