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Chinese President Xi Jinping and his Kyrgyz counterpart Almazbek Atambaev decided here on Wednesday to upgrade bilateral ties to a strategic partnership.

 

President Xi Jinping, left, attends a welcoming ceremony held by his Kyrgyz counterpart Almazbek Atambaev, right, in Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan, Sept 10, 2013. [Photo/Xinhua]

BISHKEK -- Chinese President Xi Jinping and his Kyrgyz counterpart Almazbek Atambaev met here on Wednesday and exchanged views on deepening China-Kyrgyzstan relations and pushing forward mutually-beneficial cooperation.

After their talks, the two leaders are expected to sign and publish important documents, preside over the signing of a series of cooperation deals and attend a joint press conference.

Since the establishment of diplomatic ties in 1992, China-Kyrgyzstan relations have witnessed fast, healthy and steady growth. The two countries maintain close high-level contact, enjoy increasing political mutual trust, and have achieved fruitful results from their broadening cooperation in energy, transportation, security and people-to-people exchanges.

China is now Kyrgyzstan's second largest trading partner. Two-way trade reached $2.23 billion in the first half of this year, gaining 3.9 percent year-on-year.

The Chinese president arrived here late Tuesday for his first state visit to the Central Asian country, where he will also attend a Shanghai Cooperation Organization summit.

Kyrgyzstan is the last stop of his ongoing overseas trip, which had taken him to Turkmenistan, Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan. He also attended a Group 20 summit on September 5-6 in the Russian city of St. Petersburg.