Chinese, Kazakh presidents hold talks on ties, regional security

SHANGHAI, May 19 -- Chinese President Xi Jinping held talks Monday with visiting Kazakh counterpart Nursultan Nazarbayev.

The two presidents exchanged views on China-Kazakhstan relations and international, regional issues of common concern, agreed to enhance bilateral strategic cooperation, safeguard regional security and stability.

Nazarbayev is on a state visit to China from May 19 to 22. During his stay in Shanghai, he will attend the fourth summit of the Conference on Interaction and Confidence Building Measures in Asia (CICA).

Hailing recent achievements of China-Kazakhstan ties, Xi said that mutual political trust and cooperation in various fields have reached an unprecedented high level. Bilateral cooperation has a promising future as the two countries push forward their own development plans.

Xi called on the two sides to promote mid- and long-term economic cooperation. China welcomes Kazakhstan to actively participate in the Shanghai Free Trade Zone, he said.

He hoped the two countries to deepen energy and resources cooperation, strengthen cooperation on agriculture, telecommunications, creative industries, high-technology and other fields.

The two countries should also push forward local cooperation and people-to-people exchanges, Xi said, noting the two sides are planning cooperation in adjacent areas.

China is ready to strengthen cooperation with Kazakhstan in combating terrorism, separatism, extremism, drug trafficking and safeguarding network and information security, said the Chinese president.

Xi also urged the two sides to enhance coordination in the framework of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) to jointly safeguard regional security and stability.

Nazarbayev said Kazakhstan and China have many common grounds in major issues. Both sides stick to the principle that countries have the right to choose their own development path, he said.

Kazakhstan is committed to promoting bilateral comprehensive partnership and is looking forward to deepen pragmatic cooperation, he said.

Kazakhstan is willing to provide energy support to China's economy development, Nazarbayev said, adding Kazakhstan welcomes China to expand investment in the country's non-resource sector.

He said that Kazakhstan will actively support construction of the Silk Road Economic Belt.

Kazakhstan is willing to enhance counter-terrorism cooperation with China and jointly promote the development of the SCO, said the president.

They also discussed the upcoming CICA summit. Xi said the importance of the CICA is increasing and various sides pay more attention to Asian security as many leaders of countries and international organizations will attend the summit.

As a platform initiated by Nazarbayev more than 20 years ago, the CICA is now still significant to Asia, according to Xi, who stressed that China will work with other sides to make the Shanghai summit a success and push forward development of the CICA.

Nazarbayev said he believes the CICA will make greater achievements as China is going to take over the presidency. He wished the Shanghai summit a success.

They also exchanged views on central Asia, Afghanistan and other affairs.

The two presidents signed a joint declaration and witnessed the signing of cooperation agreements in specific fields.

They started the operation of a joint logistics terminal project in Lianyungang City, a port city of east China's Jiangsu Province, through remote system.

After the meeting, Nazarbayev was awarded the Silk Road Peace Prize, a Chinese initiated prize to advocate the Silk Road spirit and commend organizations, personnel who made great contributions to world peace, regional stability and national reconciliation. Xi attend the awarding ceremony.