Support for NATO effort 'unlikely now'

It is too early to say whether China would support the NATO's war effort in Afghanistan, a diplomat said yesterday, after the United States hinted earlier this week that it was considering seeking Beijing's support.

China shares common interest with the NATO on a stable Afghanistan and fighting terrorism, said Ma Canrong, Chinese Ambassador to Germany, a NATO member state.

"But how to cooperate or whether it is the NATO (China should) cooperate with needs further thought," Ma told China Daily yesterday on the sidelines of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference meeting. "There is little link between China and the NATO at the government level."