IN BRIEF (Page: 2, Date: 01/21/2005).

(From China Daily)

BEIJING Sino-Afghanistan ties Chinese and Afghan leaders exchanged congratulatory messages yesterday to mark the 50th anniversary of diplomatic ties between the two countries.

In a message to Afghan President Hamid Karzai, President Hu Jintao said bilateral ties have withstood the test of changes in international and both countries' domestic arenas and achieved constant development.

Following the establishment of the new government in Afghanistan, exchanges and co-operation between the two countries in political and economic areas quickly recovered and expanded, steering Sino-Afghan relations into a new stage of development, he …