Kyrgyz president meets with Chinese FM

CHOLPON-ATA, Kyrgyzstan -- Kyrgyz President Sadyr Zhaparov met with visiting Chinese State Councilor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi here Saturday, with both sides agreeing to further enhance bilateral comprehensive strategic partnership and promote cooperation in various areas.

Zhaparov asked Wang to convey his sincere greetings to Chinese President Xi Jinping, saying that Kyrgyzstan always cherishes the friendship between Kyrgyzstan and China, and sincerely appreciates China's firm support and valuable assistance to Kyrgyzstan in safeguarding sovereignty and security, accelerating economic development and improving people's livelihood.

With the joint efforts of both sides, from establishing diplomatic ties to forging a comprehensive strategic partnership, Kyrgyzstan and China have set an example of good-neighborliness and friendship among neighboring countries, said Zhaparov.

Kyrgyzstan will continue to stand firmly with China on all issues concerning China's core interests, he said, adding that the country stands ready to deepen the alignment of their development strategies, expand cooperation in economy, trade and investment between the two countries, and advance people-to-people exchanges as well as cooperation at local levels.

The Kyrgyz side regards the China-Kyrgyzstan-Uzbekistan railway as an important link in building the Belt and Road, the president noted, saying that his country thanks China for sending experts to do field study and is eager to advance this state-level cooperation project in an accelerated manner.

For his part, Wang extended the Chinese president's greetings to Zhaparov, saying that the successful meeting between the two heads of state in February this year has injected strong impetus into bilateral relations.

Noting that Kyrgyzstan and China are linked by mountains and rivers, Wang said maintaining political, social and policy stability serves the interests of Kyrgyzstan and its people, helps the country accelerate its development and revitalization, and that is also China's sincere wish.

China will continue to firmly support Kyrgyzstan in safeguarding its national sovereignty, security and development interests, resolutely oppose any interference in Kyrgyzstan's internal affairs, and will always be a trustworthy and reliable partner of Kyrgyzstan, Wang added.

Wang stressed that thanks to the unremitting efforts of both sides, China and Kyrgyzstan have become good neighbors, good friends, good partners and good brothers in every sense of the word.

Strengthening bilateral strategic coordination and pushing China-Kyrgyzstan comprehensive strategic partnership to a higher level is in line with the fundamental interests of the two countries and the common expectations of the two peoples, he said.

China is willing to take the 30th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations with Kyrgyzstan as a new starting point, jointly build a community with a shared future for the two countries, consolidate strategic mutual trust, strengthen coordination in international and regional affairs, and create another 30-year golden period in China-Kazakhstan relations, Wang said.

The condition for the construction of the China-Kyrgyzstan-Uzbekistan railway is getting ripe, Wang said. The first batch of Chinese experts have arrived in Kyrgyzstan recently for site survey, and the construction process has kicked off, he said, adding that China is ready to work with Kyrgyzstan and Uzbekistan to speed up the feasibility study.

China is also ready to steadily advance cooperation in various fields and provide assistance to the best of its ability in accordance with the needs of Kyrgyzstan's national development and improvement of people's livelihood, said Wang.

Zhaparov said that Kyrgyzstan highly appreciates and supports the concept of a community with a shared future for mankind put forward by President Xi, and is willing to work with China to build a community with a shared future for both countries.

The close cooperation between Kyrgyzstan and China in international and regional affairs reflects their high-level comprehensive strategic partnership, noted Zhaparov, saying that the Kyrgyz side welcomes and supports the Global Development Initiative and Global Security Initiative proposed by President Xi, and looks forward to continuing to strengthen cooperation under the Shanghai Cooperation Organization, the Central Asia + China and other mechanisms, and to jointly promote regional peace, stability and development.

On Saturday, Wang and Kyrgyz Foreign Minister Jeenbek Kulubaev also met and attended a press conference together.