Chinese, Kyrgyz FMs meet on strengthening bilateral relations

CHOLPON-ATA, Kyrgyzstan, July 30 (Xinhua) -- Chinese State Councilor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi on Saturday held talks with Kyrgyz Foreign Minister Jeenbek Kulubaev here over further strengthening relations between the two countries.

This year marks the 30th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic ties between China and Kyrgyzstan, which is of great significance to linking the past and the future, said Wang.

Over the past 30 years, China-Kyrgyzstan relations have withstood various risks and challenges, their traditional friendship has grown stronger and their practical cooperation has yielded fruitful results, which bring important benefits to people of the two countries, said Wang.

In particular, the two sides have always stood firm together on major issues concerning each other's core interests, which has consolidated the political foundation of bilateral relations, enhanced mutual trust and fully demonstrated the substance of the comprehensive strategic partnership, he said, noting that the two countries have become veritable good neighbors, good friends, good partners and good brothers.

Wang said that China has always regarded Kyrgyzstan as an important partner in its neighborhood diplomacy, will as always firmly support measures taken by Kyrgyzstan to safeguard national sovereignty, security and social stability, and firmly oppose external interference in Kyrgyzstan's internal affairs.

China is ready to work with Kyrgyzstan to follow the important consensus reached at the successful meeting between the two countries' heads of state this year, take the 30th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic ties as an opportunity, and the Belt and Road cooperation as the main line, deepen mutually beneficial cooperation, carry forward traditional friendship, and push the China-Kyrgyzstan comprehensive strategic partnership to a new level with the aim of building a China-Kyrgyzstan community with a shared future, said the Chinese foreign minister.

For his part, Kulubaev said that since the establishment of diplomatic ties 30 years ago, Kyrgyzstan and China have carried out high-level cooperation, elevated bilateral relations to the comprehensive strategic partnership, consolidated good-neighborly friendship and laid a solid foundation for deepening mutually beneficial cooperation.

The two sides have worked together to implement the important consensus reached by the two countries' heads of state and achieved solid results, Kulubaev said.

Kyrgyzstan regards relations with China as a diplomatic priority and firmly supports China's legitimate position on all key China-related issues. No political differences can hinder all-round cooperation between Kyrgyzstan and China, he said, adding that the Kyrgyz side fully supports building a Kyrgyzstan-China community with a shared future.

Kurubayev said Kyrgyzstan looks forward to accelerating the China-Kyrgyzstan-Uzbekistan railway project, welcomes Chinese experts to visit Kyrgyzstan to carry out survey work, and is ready to work with China to speed up implementation of key projects such as the new North-South Highway and the renovation of Bishkek's municipal road network.

The Kyrgyz side hopes to simplify customs clearance procedures at ports between the two sides, and increase flights between the two countries so that more Kyrgyz students can return to China to resume their studies.

He thanked the Chinese side for setting up the Luban Workshop in Kyrgyzstan, and welcomed Chinese enterprises to invest and launch business in Kyrgyzstan and help Kyrgyzstan build an e-commerce logistics center in Central Asia.

Wang noted that during the trip, the Chinese side has felt the great importance and ardent expectations attached by Kyrgyzstan and Uzbekistan to the China-Kyrgyzstan-Uzbekistan railway project and will jointly accelerate the promotion of this important project.

This year, China-Kyrgyzstan economic and trade exchanges have bucked the trend and exceeded the pre-pandemic level, said Wang, noting that the Chinese side is willing to import more green and high-quality agricultural and livestock products from Kyrgyzstan.

Both sides should steadily advance practical cooperation, create new cooperation highlights such as new energy, ecological agriculture, e-commerce and cross-border logistics, and jointly build a "green Silk Road" and a "digital Silk Road," Wang added.

The Chinese side is willing to increase the frequency of direct flights in an orderly manner, further improve the efficiency of cargo transit at ports, provide convenience for Kyrgyz students to return to China and resume their studies, promote the construction of the Luban Workshop and expand medical and health cooperation between the two countries, according to Wang.

The two sides expressed satisfaction with the efficient cooperation between China and Kyrgyzstan in international and regional affairs.

Kulubaev said that the Kyrgyz side spoke highly of the important concept of building a community with a shared future for mankind put forward by President Xi Jinping, agreed to build a community with a shared future for neighboring countries, highly appreciate and are willing to take an active part in the Global Development Initiative and the Global Security Initiative.

The two sides exchanged views on strengthening the cooperation mechanism between China and the five Central Asian countries and agreed to promote cooperation in priority areas such as transportation, economy and trade, investment, industry, agriculture, energy, customs and culture, so as to build an all-round, multi-tiered and multi-dimensional sub-regional cooperation pattern.

Following the talks, the two foreign ministers jointly met the press.