Chinese FM, Tajik transport minister vow to deepen cooperation

Chinese State Councilor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi meets with Tajik Transport Minister Azim Ibrohim after participating in the third China + Central Asia (C+C5) foreign ministers' meeting in Nur-Sultan, Kazakhstan, June 8, 2022. (Photo by Kalizhan Ospanov/Xinhua)

NUR-SULTAN, June 9 (Xinhua) -- Chinese State Councilor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi and Tajik Transport Minister Azim Ibrohim agreed on Wednesday to deepen cooperation in a wide range of areas.

The two ministers met after attending the third China + Central Asia (C+C5) foreign ministers' meeting in the Kazakh capital of Nur-Sultan.

Facilitated by Chinese President Xi Jinping and Tajik President Emomali Rahmon, the China-Tajikistan comprehensive strategic partnership has always maintained a sound and stable momentum of development, Wang said, adding that the two countries have taken the lead in building a community of common development and security, and jointly implemented a large number of major cooperation projects that have yielded good results and improved people's livelihood.

The two sides have always trusted and supported each other in international and regional affairs, constantly enriching bilateral relations, Wang said, adding that China is willing to work with Tajikistan to take the 30th anniversary of the establishment of their diplomatic ties as an opportunity, and follow through on the important consensus reached by the two heads of state, uplift bilateral cooperation in various fields and bring more benefits to the two peoples.

In the first quarter of this year, the bilateral trade grew by more than 100 percent year-on-year, showing strong resilience, Wang said. He added that China is willing to work with Tajikistan to constantly explore new areas of cooperation and help Tajikistan achieve the four major national development strategic goals in energy, transportation, food and industrialization.

China supports and encourages Chinese enterprises to invest and start business in Tajikistan and better synergize production capacity, and hopes Tajikistan will improve its business environment.

Ibrohim said that China is a great friendly neighbor of Tajikistan and the two heads of state have established high-level mutual trust, with the Tajikistan-China comprehensive strategic partnership steadily advancing.

Since the establishment of diplomatic relations 30 years ago, bilateral cooperation has developed rapidly, and China has become the most important trade and investment partner of Tajikistan, he said, adding that Tajikistan sincerely appreciates China's assistance in implementing major livelihood projects, upgrading infrastructure and fighting the COVID-19 pandemic.

Tajikistan is willing to actively participate in the Belt and Road cooperation and deepen all-round cooperation with China, and will help Chinese enterprises to invest and start business in the country, Ibrohim said.

Both sides expressed satisfaction with the launch of Luban Workshop in Tajikistan, the first of its kind in Central Asia. The two sides agreed to strive for an early completion of the workshop to deliver early benefits and boost the training of talents in Tajikistan, and agreed to speed up the establishment of a traditional medicine center in Tajikistan and continue to strengthen anti-epidemic cooperation.

The two sides will scale up trade, and create new cooperation highlights in the fields of new energy, green technology, transportation and communications.

Both sides will continue to give play to the joint epidemic prevention and control mechanism at the border, upgrade and renovate ports, improve customs clearance efficiency, and ensure the safe and smooth passage of freights.

Both sides spoke highly of the building of the China-Tajikistan community of common security, and expressed willingness to deepen cooperation on security, law enforcement, and counter-terrorism, so as to jointly safeguard peace and stability in the two countries and the region at large.

Ibrohim said that Tajikistan will always be a staunch comrade-in-arms of China and will work with China to resolutely fight against the "three evil forces" of terrorism, extremism and separatism.

Wang said that China will continue to firmly support Tajikistan in safeguarding independence, sovereignty, security and stability, and China is Tajikistan's most reliable strategic partner.

The two sides also exchanged views on the Afghan issue.