Tajikistan looks to China for deeper ties

China and Tajikistan are poised to scale up cooperation on security, including more information sharing, joint counterterrorism exercises, and heightened steps to combat drug and arms trafficking and to boost cyber and information security, Tajik President Emomali Rahmon said.

In an interview ahead of his 22nd visit to China, the Tajik president also underscored that China's stewardship of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization over the past year has opened a "new chapter" in the grouping's history and further elevated its standing on the international stage.

Rahmon is set to visit China for the upcoming SCO Tianjin Summit, to be held on Sunday and Monday, and for his second meeting with President Xi Jinping this year.

He expressed high expectations for the upcoming visit, both for bilateral cooperation and for outcomes from the pivotal summit.

The focus of future security cooperation with China will include combating illegal border crossings and addressing cybercrime and threats to information security, he said. "We believe that through deepening cooperation and effectively utilizing existing mechanisms, both sides will play an active role in strengthening regional security and stability, thereby creating a peaceful and secure living environment for our citizens."

In addition to security, the Tajik leader has also emphasized cooperation with China on exchanges in cutting-edge technology, green projects and investment.

"Particularly noteworthy is our cooperation in the field of digital technologies, which is expected to significantly accelerate the digitalization of Tajikistan's national economy," Rahmon said.

Tajikistan, the first country to sign a memorandum of understanding with China on jointly building the Silk Road Economic Belt, has seen its trade volume with China grow 12.5 percent year-on-year to $2.04 billion in the first half of this year, according to China's Foreign Ministry.

Rahmon has again highlighted the significance of the Belt and Road Initiative for the landlocked country, saying that with Chinese investment and support, Tajikistan has implemented a large number of infrastructure, energy and industrial projects.

"This will create more opportunities for Tajikistan to integrate into the vast international market network, expand exports and attract foreign investment," he said.

Rahmon highlighted President Xi's visit to the Central Asian country last year as a major milestone in bilateral ties, with both nations having pledged to develop a comprehensive strategic partnership in the new era.

"The upgrading of our relations enables us to simultaneously expand cultural and people-to-people cooperation. This encompasses exchanges in education, science, culture and tourism, which are of great importance in further strengthening the friendship between our peoples," he said.

Calling the Chinese president "my friend", Rahmon said that Xi is not only "an experienced and visionary leader, but also a man of profound cultural depth, steadfast loyalty to his people, and calm wisdom."

"One of the most important qualities of my friend Xi Jinping's leadership is his ability to combine the finest traditions of China's profound civilization with the requirements of the times," he said.

"In this sense, he possesses a unique style and model of political leadership that is widely recognized in the international community. Without doubt, he is a leader of global influence," Rahmon added.

He noted that Xi's initiatives have profound strategic significance. "The initiatives are of particular importance in the fields of global development and security, as they are aimed at addressing global challenges by promoting coordinated development and safeguarding both regional and global security."

He added that these initiatives "clearly demonstrate that a leader with broad vision and a strong sense of global responsibility can make significant contributions to world peace, stability and shared prosperity".

Rahmon said his country believes that China, as the SCO's rotating chair, has effectively combined its enormous potential with the vast opportunities of the 10-member grouping, thereby elevating the organization's standing and comprehensive strength to a new level.

He also said Tajikistan believes that the summit in Tianjin "will open a new chapter in cooperation among member states and mark a qualitative leap forward in the development of the organization".

While underlining security as the "core issue" of the SCO region and a key guarantee for economic, energy, transportation and infrastructure projects, the Tajik leader lauded the pragmatic measures taken by China in boosting regional development.

"China is supporting the construction of infrastructure projects, expanding transportation and communication networks, developing renewable energy, and enlarging the scale of bilateral trade — all of which have laid a solid foundation for deeper integration among member states."

xuwei@chinadaily.com.cn