Chinese Premier Li Keqiang (L) holds talks with Kyrgyz Prime Minister Sooronbay Jeenbekov in Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan, Nov. 2, 2016. (Photo: Xinhua/Zhang Duo)
Chinese Premier Li Keqiang and his Kyrgyz counterpart, Sooronbay Jeenbekov, on Wednesday agreed to deepen security cooperation between the two countries to safeguard regional security and stability. [Special coverage]
The regional security situations at present are complicated and severe, Li said during his meeting with Jeenbekov.
The Chinese embassy in Bishkek was hit by a terrorist attack in August, leaving two Kyrgyz employees of the embassy and three Chinese people injured.
Li expressed his hope that Kyrgyzstan will speed up the investigation and handling of the incident, provide support and assistance, and take necessary measures to ensure the safety of Chinese staff posted in Kyrgyzstan.
China is willing to deepen security cooperation with Kyrgyzstan to fight the "three evil forces" of terrorism, extremism and separatism and safeguard regional security and stability, Li said.
For his part, Jeenbekov voiced Kyrgyzstan's strong condemnation against the terrorist attack against the Chinese embassy, saying his country will take all necessary measures to ensure the safety of the Chinese embassy and its staff.
Kyrgyzstan will also enhance cooperation with China in security law enforcement, fight the "three evil forces" of terrorism, separatism and extremism, and safeguard security and stability of the two countries and the region as a whole, said the Kyrgyz prime minister.
Li arrived in Bishkek earlier Wednesday for an official visit to the central Asian country and the 15th prime ministers' meeting of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO).
The SCO, an inter-governmental organization founded in Shanghai in 2001, groups China, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Russia, Tajikistan and Uzbekistan.
India and Pakistan signed the SCO's Memorandum of Obligations in June, kick-starting the process of their accession into the group, which also has a number of observers and dialogue partners.
Kyrgyzstan is the first leg of Li's ongoing eight-day four-country tour, which will also take him to Kazakhstan, Latvia and Russia.
