President Xi Jinping accompanies Kazakh President Nursultan Nazarbayev during a welcoming ceremony outside the Great Hall of the People on Thursday. (FENG YONGBIN/CHINA DAILY)
President hails fruitful outcomes brought by Belt, Road Initiative
China and Kazakhstan should enhance the connection of their development strategies and boost cooperation in such areas as the economy, trade, energy and finance, President Xi Jinping said on Thursday.
Xi made the remark while meeting with Kazakh President Nursultan Nazarbayev at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing. Nazarbayev will attend the Shanghai Cooperation Organization Summit to be held in Qingdao on Saturday and Sunday.
Witnessed by the two leaders, China and Kazakhstan signed a number of cooperation documents covering areas such as finance, e-commerce, customs and production capacity.
Xi told his Kazakh counterpart that since he put forward the proposal of building the Silk Road Economic Belt during his state visit to Kazakhstan five years ago, the Belt and Road Initiative has yielded fruitful outcomes.
The initiative, which has met the related countries' practical needs for economic development, has become an important approach to building a community of a shared future for mankind, Xi said.
Belt and Road cooperation between China and Kazakhstan has entered a new stage of deep integration, and the two nations should enhance policy coordination and implement cooperation plans, Xi added.
During the talk, Xi mentioned his state visit to Kazakhstan last year, saying that the important consensuses reached by the two sides have been implemented.
Since the establishment of diplomatic ties, China-Kazakhstan relations have progressed at a high speed, with frequent high-level exchanges and enhanced political trust, Xi said.
The two nations have achieved fruitful outcomes in jointly building the Belt and Road, enhanced their close coordination on global affairs, and supported each other on issues related to core national interests, Xi said.
Noting that he is confident of the future of China-Kazakhstan relations, Xi said that it's the common wish of both sides to deepen cooperation in all areas.
Xi mentioned his proposal of building a community of shared future for mankind, saying that the proposal has been enshrined in the documents of the United Nations and accepted by more and more countries.
China would like to take further steps together with Kazakhstan to jointly build a community of shared future for the mankind and contribute wisdom and strength to the future of the mankind, Xi said.
Hailing Kazakhstan as an important neighbor of China as well as a major country with regional influence, Xi said that China-Kazakhstan relations have set a model for friendship among neighboring countries.
Nazarbayev spoke highly of Xi Jinping Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era, saying that it is fundamental for China's development.
Kazakhstan firmly upholds the one-China policy, and the nation will resolutely fight the "three evil forces" of terrorism, extremism and separatism, Nazarbayev said.
Mentioning that China has respected the sovereignty and territorial integrity of Kazakhstan, Nazarbayev said that the people of Kazakhstan will never forget China's support for his country.
China is a major trade partner of Kazakhstan, and bilateral trade increased by more than 30 percent last year, Nazarbayev said.
