China’s ministry of foreign affairs said the people of Afghanistan are struggling with poverty and facing a humanitarian crisis as winter is approaching, and it called for the release of Afghan assets frozen abroad.

Chinese foreign ministry spokesman Zhao Lijian said China will continue its humanitarian aid to Afghanistan, but the Afghan assets should be released, as quoted by China’s ambassador to Afghanistan Wang Yu.

Zhao Lijian said that sanctions on the Islamic Emirate is a collective punishment on all Afghans.

“... Sanctions, especially Afghan frozen assets overseas, are collective punishment on all Afghans and are worsening (the) humanitarian disaster in Afghanistan,” Wang said in twitter quoting China’s foreign ministry spokesman. “Frozen assets should be returned to real owners (as) soon as possible instead of as a tool for threats and coercion.”

Zhao also said that China will support Afghanistan with humanitarian aid, economic development and will help it achieve peace and reconstruction.

According to China’s foreign ministry, more than 5.000 tons of grain and three million doses of COVID-19 vaccines will be shipped to Afghanistan.

The remarks come as more than 1 000 tons of Chinese humanitarian aids to Afghanistan is en route to the country.