Top legislator meets with head of Kazakhstan lower house

Zhang Dejiang (R), chairman of the Standing Committee of China's National People's Congress (NPC), holds talks with Nurlan Nigmatulin, speaker of the Kazakh Parliament's Lower House, at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing, capital of China, Oct. 15, 2013. (Xinhua/Ding Lin)

China's top legislator Zhang Dejiang said Tuesday that the National People's Congress (NPC) is ready to play an even bigger role in supporting and advancing China-Kazakhstan cooperation in all areas.

Zhang, chairman of the NPC Standing Committee, held talks with Kazakhstan's Lower House Chairman Nurlan Nigmatulin in the Great Hall of the People Tuesday afternoon.

During the talks, Zhang made a four-point proposal on further strengthening relations between the legislatures of the two countries.

Firstly, Zhang said the Chinese side is ready to strengthen mutual trust and strategic cooperation with the Kazakh side. He said the two sides should firmly support each other on issues of their core interests and major concerns and cooperate in regional and international parliamentary organizations. He called on the two sides to join hands on safeguarding national sovereignty, security and development interests of the two countries.

Secondly, Zhang said the legislatures of the two countries should step up exchanges on expertise in governing the country, especially on legislation in economic and social areas. He said the two sides should learn from each other's experiences so as to better serve the country's cause of development and rejuvenation.

Thirdly, Zhang said the two legislatures should create a favorable legal environment for bilateral cooperation. He urged the two sides to promptly approve legal papers on bilateral cooperation and press for the draft and implementation of bilateral agreement so as to promote practical cooperation.

Fourthly, Zhang said the legislatures should help promote friendly exchanges at local levels and between the two peoples so as to expand the mandate of bilateral friendship. He said the legislatures should make their due major contribution to the sustained and healthy development of the comprehensive strategic partnership between China and Kazakhstan.

Zhang said during Chinese President Xi Jinping's visit to Kazakhstan in September, the presidents of the two countries laid out a strategic plan for long-term trade and economic cooperation and lifted China-Kazakhstan comprehensive strategic partnership to a new height.

Nigmatulin said China is a good neighbor and reliable friend of Kazakhstan. He said thanks to the attention and effort by the head of state of the two countries, Kazakhstan-China relations have reached a new height.

Zhang said the China is ready to work with the Kazakhstan to implement the consensus reached by their heads of state by enhancing friendship and advancing practical cooperation.

Nigmatulin said the expansion of bilateral relations has put forward new requirements for interparliamentary exchanges. The lower house of Kazakhstan is ready to expand exchanges with the NPC on legislation, supervision and governance and cooperate more closely within the framework of international parliamentary organizations.

Nigmatulin expressed readiness to implement the important consensus reached by the heads of state and advance the comprehensive strategic partnership between the two countries.

After the talks, Zhang and Nigmatulin signed the MOU on cooperation between the NPC and the Lower House of Kazakhstan.