Chinese, Kazakh FMs hold talks

ASTANA, May 20 (Xinhua) -- Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi on Monday held talks with Kazakhstan's Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Murat Nurtleu here.

In the spirit of mutual benefit and win-win cooperation, China and Kazakhstan have forged a permanent comprehensive strategic partnership, and on this basis, in line with the trend of the times, both sides have also decided to build a China-Kazakhstan community of shared future, setting a new benchmark for bilateral relations, said Wang, also a member of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China Central Committee.

He said China stands ready to work together with Kazakhstan to build a vibrant and meaningful China-Kazakhstan community of shared future to benefit the two countries and their peoples, and contribute to regional and global peace and development.

China supports the expansion of bilateral economic, trade and investment cooperation, with a hope that the two sides will reach an agreement on a new version of the investment protection agreement as soon as possible, Wang said.

China hopes that Kazakhstan will provide a sound business environment to facilitate Chinese enterprises' investment and operation in Kazakhstan, Wang said.

China is willing to strengthen cooperation with Kazakhstan in oil and gas resources and other fields, continue to improve the efficiency and quality of connectivity, and strengthen cooperation on new quality productive forces, said Wang.

For his part, Nurtleu said strengthening friendship with China is the priority of Kazakhstan's foreign policy, and Kazakhstan is willing to work with China to promote the rapid development of bilateral relations in the spirit of good-neighborliness, friendship and mutual respect.

Kazakhstan highly values and actively supports the three global initiatives proposed by Chinese President Xi Jinping, which are conducive to world security and sustainable development, he said.

Kazakhstan firmly adheres to the one-China principle and believes that Taiwan is an inalienable part of China, and this position will never waver, Nurtleu said.

Wang said that the elections in Taiwan are local elections of China, and Taiwan has never been a country and will never be one. Neither the election result nor today's so-called "ceremony" can change the basic fact that there is only one China in the world and Taiwan is part of China, or the historical trend that China will eventually and inevitably be reunified.

The Chinese side appreciates Kazakhstan's firm adherence to the one-China principle, as well as Kazakhstan's support for China's opposition to separatist attempts for "Taiwan independence" and Kazakhstan's support for China's endeavor to achieve national reunification at the earliest date possible. China will, as always, support Kazakhstan in safeguarding national independence, sovereignty and territorial integrity, and oppose any interference in Kazakhstan's internal affairs, he said.

The two sides agreed to strengthen cooperation to ensure the full success of the upcoming meeting of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) Council of Ministers of Foreign Affairs in preparation for the summit.