ASTANA – President of Kazakhstan Kassym-Jomart Tokayev and President of China Xi Jinping commended the development of bilateral partnership during an Oct. 17 meeting in Beijing, reported the Akorda press service.
President Tokayev and President of China Xi Jinping commended the development of bilateral partnership during an Oct. 17. Photo credit: Akorda.
Tokayev, who arrived on an official visit to China on Oct. 16, said it was a great pleasure to visit Beijing to attend the third Belt and Road Forum for International Cooperation at the invitation of Xi Jinping.
He expressed Kazakhstan’s support for China’s global initiative, announced a decade ago in Astana. Tokayev congratulated Xi on the results of implementing this megaproject, the 74th anniversary of the founding of the People’s Republic of China, and the brilliant performance of China’s team at the 19th Asian Games in Hangzhou.
“With great enthusiasm, we are following the rapid progress of China. Your wise leadership moves China closer to its highest goal – becoming an advanced world power,” Tokayev said.
The President emphasized the positive dynamics of the development of Kazakh-Chinese relations that reflect eternal comprehensive strategic partnership. He also mentioned Xi’s state visit to Kazakhstan last year, which launched a new “golden 30th anniversary” of bilateral cooperation.
“Trade between our states is developing. The growth is significant. The sides implement 52 joint projects with an investment volume of $21 billion. 2024, which was declared as the year of Kazakhstan’s Tourism in China, will open up great prospects for this sphere. Favorable conditions are created for mutual cultural and humanitarian exchange. I believe that Kazakhstan and China have a tremendous potential for bringing interstate ties to a new level,” Tokayev said, inviting Xi to visit Kazakhstan on a state visit next year.
Xi thanked Tokayev for visiting China and noted the importance of strengthening cooperation.
“Healthy, stable and dynamic Chinese-Kazakh relations can strengthen trust between the two countries and decisively contribute to maintaining peace and stability. Regardless of how the international situation changes, China and Kazakhstan will adhere to their initial aspirations and help each other. Over the years of friendship, our countries managed to build an eternal comprehensive strategic partnership. Ten years ago, I initiated the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) in Kazakhstan,” he said.
Xi emphasized that China fully supports Kazakhstan’s sovereignty and territorial integrity and the large-scale reforms.
During the meeting, the presidents addressed the development of comprehensive cooperation in trade, economics, oil and gas, petrochemical, energy, financial, transport, and transit spheres and the nuclear industry, engineering and tourism, electronic commerce, and high technologies. Leaders emphasized the importance of implementing joint investment projects and creating conditions for mutual cultural enrichment.
Following the meeting, the delegations of the two countries signed several documents, including memorandum of mutual understanding on exchange and cooperation in the economic development; agreement between the governments on the development of the Trans-Caspian International Transport Route (TITR), including China-Europe container trains; memorandum of mutual understanding on the construction of the Tǎchéng-Ayagoz railway; agreement between the governments on the TITR development and the protocol on phytosanitary requirements for Kazakhstan’s export of rapeseed to China.
