Cooperation with China based on ‘unshakable friendship,’ says Kazakhstan

By Burc Eruygur and Riyaz ul Khaliq

ISTANBUL (AA) – Kazakh President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev on Wednesday said Astana’s cooperation with Beijing is based on “unshakable friendship and mutual support.”

His remarks came during a visit to China where he will take part in the China-Central Asia summit which is set to begin on Thursday.

“For Kazakhstan, the People’s Republic of China is of particular importance. Our cooperation is based on unshakable friendship and mutual support. We have a common goal – to intensify bilateral relations,” Tokayev told his Chinese counterpart Xi Jinping, according to a statement by the Kazakh presidency.

The duo met in Xi’an city in China’s northwestern Shaanxi province ahead of the two-day summit.

Tokayev said Kazakhstan and China are "united by the desire to strengthen regional and international security and cooperation," and pointed out "importance" for Astana of "further developing comprehensive strategic partnership with Beijing."

"The (bilateral) talks are designed to give additional impetus to the strengthening of interstate cooperation," Tokayev said, lauding Xi’s "contribution to the development of bilateral cooperation."

Beijing and Astana discussed "developing comprehensive cooperation in trade, economic, oil and gas, petrochemical, energy, financial, transport and transit sectors, education and science. There was also an exchange of views on issues of the international and regional agenda,” added the statement from the Kazakh presidency.

It said Tokayev and Xi signed a joint statement at the end of the talks, and members of the Kazakh and Chinese delegations signed a number of documents on cooperation in sectors such as transport, agriculture, infrastructure, sports, trade, energy, media, and education.

- China-Kazakhstan ‘should deepen mutually beneficial cooperation,’ Xi says

According to a readout from Beijing, Xi said Tokayev’s visit to China on his 70th birthday "speaks volumes about the strength of the bilateral ties and once again attests to his unique bond" between Kazakhstan and China.

Tokayev turned 70 on Wednesday.

"China-Kazakhstan relations have entered the next three golden decades. The two sides should vigorously carry forward the traditional friendship, firmly support each other, deepen mutually beneficial cooperation, pursue development and rejuvenation, and build a China-Kazakhstan community with a shared future featuring everlasting friendship, strong mutual trust and solidarity," Xi told his Kazakh counterpart.

The Xi-Tokayev meeting came ahead of the China-Central Asia summit, which will be held in-person for the first time from Thursday until Friday, and is expected to see the participation of leaders from four other states – Kyrgyz President Sadyr Japarov, Tajik President Emomali Rahmon, Uzbek President Shavkat Mirziyoyev, and Turkmen President Serdar Berdimuhamedov.

The summit is expected to discuss enhancement of economic cooperation, security issues, and the Ukraine crisis.

According to details released from Beijing, the overall trade between China and Central Asian nations reached $70.2 billion last year, marking a historic high.

Also, the China-Central Asia pipeline delivered 43.2 billion cubic meters of natural gas to China last year, as imports of energy, agricultural and mineral products by Beijing also witnessed around 50% increase.

Imports of mechanical and electronic products from China by the five Central Asian nations also rose by around 42% last year.