ASTANA – Chinese President Xi Jinping on Wednesday met with several heads of state from central Asia and discussed ways to further strengthen bilateral relations and cooperation in various fields ahead of the 24th Meeting of the Council of Heads of State of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization here in the Kazakh capital.

In his meeting with Kyrgyz President Sadyr Japarov, Xi said China and Kyrgyzstan should explore new ways of thinking to promote high-quality Belt and Road cooperation to make it continue to deepen and more effective.

The two sides should expand economic, trade and investment cooperation, enhance connectivity and expand cooperation on new quality productive forces, he said.

Good neighbors wish each other well, Xi said, adding that China is happy to see a stable and developing Kyrgyzstan and will, as always, firmly support Kyrgyzstan in safeguarding national independence, sovereignty and territorial integrity and in finding a development path suited to its national conditions.

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China is willing to deepen the synergy of development strategies with Kyrgyzstan, expand the sharing of experience in governance, promote all-round mutually beneficial cooperation and advance the building of a China-Kyrgyzstan community with a shared future, he said.

The Chinese president said that China is willing to import more high-quality green agricultural products from Kyrgyzstan, support Chinese enterprises in investing and doing business in the Central Asian country, strengthen cooperation in areas such as new energy vehicles and cross-border e-commerce, and accelerate the construction of the China-Kyrgyzstan-Uzbekistan railway project.

The two sides should give full play to the platforms such as the Chinese traditional medicine center in Kyrgyzstan, the Chinese Cultural Center and the Luban Workshop to nurture more successors of China-Kyrgyzstan friendly cooperation, he said.

China is willing to strengthen coordination and cooperation with Kyrgyzstan, continue to strengthen the China-Central Asia mechanism, and ensure that the SCO develops in the right direction that serves the common interests of all parties, he added.

For his part, Japarov said he still vividly remembers his visit to China in May last year, which opened up a new era in bilateral relations. At present, the political relations between Kyrgyzstan and China are developing at a high level, various departments of the two countries maintain close communication, sub-national exchanges and cooperation are booming, and bilateral trade and investment are growing steadily.

In the face of global changes unseen in a century, Kyrgyzstan-China relations have always been rock-solid, and there are no political differences or cooperation obstacles between the two countries, he said.

Japarov said Kyrgyzstan firmly adheres to the one-China principle, adding that Kyrgyzstan welcomes more Chinese enterprises to invest in the country, and will provide good business environment for Chinese enterprises. It is hoped that the two sides will work together to promote the construction of the China-Kyrgyzstan-Uzbekistan railway project and close multilateral communication and collaboration in the SCO and other platforms.

China-Azerbaijan ties upgraded

China and Azerbaijan have upgraded bilateral relations to strategic partnership, which is a new positioning and a new starting point, President Xi said while meeting with Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev.

China and Azerbaijan are good friends with sincerity and mutual trust, as well as good partners with equality and mutual benefit, and bilateral relations have been developing healthily and steadily, with fruitful cooperation and richer strategic connotations, he said.

China firmly supports Azerbaijan in safeguarding national sovereignty, independence and territorial integrity, and in pursuing a development path suited to its national conditions, Xi said.

The two sides should promote high-quality Belt and Road cooperation, deepen cooperation in such fields as trade, investment, oil and gas, and photovoltaics, strengthen connectivity, advance the construction of the Trans-Caspian International Transport Route, and ensure the healthy and stable operation of China-Europe freight trains, he said.

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The two sides should also carry out more exchanges in such areas as education, culture and tourism, as well as between the youths of the two nations and at the sub-national level, and consolidate the public foundation of China-Azerbaijan friendship, he said.

China supports Azerbaijan in hosting the 29th session of the Conference of the Parties to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change, Xi said.

China stands ready to work with Azerbaijan to advocate an equal and orderly world multipolarity, and universally beneficial and inclusive economic globalization, and promote world peace, stability and development, he said.

Aliyev said that Azerbaijan and China are good partners.

The two countries have maintained close exchanges at various departments and levels, witnessed increasing bilateral trade volume, and firmly supported each other in safeguarding independence, sovereignty and territorial integrity in international organizations, he said.

The two sides jointly announced the establishment of the Azerbaijan-China strategic partnership in a joint statement, which is of great significance to the development of bilateral relations, he said.

Azerbaijan firmly abides by the one-China principle and firmly supports China's great cause of national reunification, which is the trend of history and no force can stop it, he said.

Azerbaijan is willing to strengthen solidarity and cooperation with China, tap the potential, enhance cooperation in such areas as economy, trade, investment, new energy and culture within the framework of Belt and Road cooperation, closely collaborate within the SCO and other frameworks, oppose external interference and safeguard regional security and stability, said Aliyev.

The two sides issued the joint statement on establishing the strategic partnership.

Relevant departments of the two sides signed cooperation documents in such areas as Belt and Road cooperation and connectivity.

High-quality development of Sino-Uzbek relations

China is ready to work with Uzbekistan to promote the high-quality development of China-Uzbekistan relations with the future of the country and the well-being of its people in mind, Xi said during a meeting with Uzbek President Shavkat Mirziyoyev.

During Mirziyoyev's successful state visit to China in January, China and Uzbekistan agreed to elevate their ties to an all-weather comprehensive strategic partnership for a new era, and promote the construction of a China-Uzbekistan community with a shared future from a higher starting point, Xi said, noting the development of bilateral relations have ushered in a new stage.

This year marks the 75th anniversary of the founding of the People's Republic of China, he said, adding China is speeding up Chinese modernization, and Uzbekistan is also comprehensively advancing the "Uzbekistan-2030" strategy.

The goal of both sides is very grand but also simple, which is to deliver a better life for their people, Xi said.

Noting that China firmly supports Uzbekistan in safeguarding its national independence, sovereignty and security, Xi said China is always a trustworthy friend and partner of Uzbekistan.

He urged the two sides to further advance the Belt and Road cooperation, well implement the medium- and long-term cooperation plan on economy, trade and investment, speed up the construction of the China-Kyrgyzstan-Uzbekistan railway, as well as cooperation in fields of photovoltaic, wind power and new energy vehicles, and continue to strengthen cooperation in poverty reduction and social governance.

China supports the expansion of exchanges between the two countries at the sub-national level, as well as exchanges in tourism, education and other fields, he said, noting China welcomes Uzbekistan's participation in the seventh China International Import Expo as the guest country of honor. 

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China is ready to work with Uzbekistan to speed up the implementation of the outcomes of the China-Central Asia Summit held in the city of Xi'an, strengthen coordination and cooperation, and ensure that the SCO always develops in a direction that serves the common interests of all parties, Xi said.

Mirziyoyev said the two sides jointly announced in Beijing to elevate their ties to an all-weather comprehensive strategic partnership for a new era in January, which opened a new era of China-Uzbekistan relations.

Under the wise leadership of President Xi, China has successfully coped with various risks and challenges and made world-leading achievements in the fields of economy, science and technology, he said.

Mirziyoyev expressed his congratulations and wished the third plenary session of the 20th Communist Party of China Central Committee a complete success.

Uzbekistan firmly abides by the one-China principle and resolutely combats the "three evil forces" of terrorism, extremism and separatism, he said.

Uzbekistan is willing to work with China to be each other's reliable friend and partner, continue to respect, understand and support each other, and promote pragmatic cooperation in various fields to achieve more fruitful results, Mirziyoyev said.

He said Uzbekistan is willing to closely coordinate and cooperate with China within the China-Central Asia mechanism, the SCO, as well as other multilateral frameworks.

Uzbekistan is ready to promote the implementation of the Global Development Initiative, the Global Security Initiative and the Global Civilization Initiative, which were proposed by Xi, Mirziyoyev said.