Kazakhstan Reaffirms Taiwan Inalienable Part of China

ALMA ATA, August 14 (Xinhua) -- Kazakhstan Deputy Prime Minister Kasymzhomart Tokayev reaffirmed Saturday that Taiwan is an inalienable part of China and the Taiwan issue is China's internal affair.

Tokayev, also Kazakhstan's Foreign Minister, made the remarks in an interview by a group of Chinese journalists.

Denouncing Lee Teng-hui's recent "two states" statement, Tokayev noted that both Kazakhstan and China stick to the principles of safeguarding sovereignty and territorial integrity, and firmly oppose any separatist activity.

Talking about the five-country summit of China, Russia, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan, to be held in Bishkek, capital of Kyrgyzstan, Tokayev stressed that such a meeting will greatly promote the international and regional security and stability.

During the interview, Tokayev also predicted a bright future for the economic cooperation between Kazakhstan and China. The trade volume between the two countries reached 650 million US dollars last year, with China serving as the second biggest trading partner of Kazakhstan.

Judging from the economic strength and market demand of both countries, the bilateral trade volume may mount to 2 billion dollars in the future, he said.