Chinese premier meets Kazakh PM, calling for enhanced cooperation

Chinese Premier Li Qiang meets with Prime Minister of Kazakhstan Alikhan Smailov in east China's Shanghai, Nov. 4, 2023. Smailov is in Shanghai for the 6th China International Import Expo. [Photo by Pang Xinglei/Xinhua]

SHANGHAI, Nov. 4 (Xinhua) -- Chinese Premier Li Qiang on Saturday met with Kazakh Prime Minister Alikhan Smailov, who is in Shanghai for the 6th China International Import Expo.

Since the establishment of diplomatic ties, China-Kazakhstan relations have stood the test of changes in the international landscape and continued to rise to a new level, Li said, adding that building a China-Kazakhstan community with a shared future is a far-sighted strategic decision made by the two heads of state and a fundamental guideline for the future development of bilateral relations.

Li said that China is ready to work with Kazakhstan to carry forward the concept of everlasting friendship, high mutual trust and solidarity in all aspects of bilateral cooperation, support each other in the modernization drive, and work together to bring more benefits to the two peoples.

He urged the two countries to pursue high-quality Belt and Road cooperation, expand trade, deepen cooperation on production capacity and investment, speed up the negotiations and signing of a new investment protection agreement, and tap the potential of cooperation in new energy.

China supports Kazakhstan in hosting the next China-Central Asia Summit and the rotating presidency of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO), and will jointly push for new achievements in the China-Central Asia mechanisms and the SCO cooperation, Li said.

Smailov said that Kazakhstan speaks highly of the permanent comprehensive strategic partnership of the two countries and the fruitful bilateral cooperation, and supports a series of important initiatives proposed by China.

Kazakhstan is willing to promote the Belt and Road Initiative with China, strengthen pragmatic cooperation in various fields, jointly fight terrorism, separatism, and extremism with China, deepen the cooperation under the China-Central Asia mechanisms and the SCO cooperation, and jointly build a Kazakhstan-China community with a shared future, Smailov said.