Nation to strengthen ties with Tajikistan

President Xi Jinping said China looks forward to working with its Tajik friends to draw a new blueprint for a stronger China-Tajikistan friendship, write a new chapter in their mutually beneficial cooperation, and create a brighter future for the two nations.

Xi made the remark in a signed article titled "Working Together for a Brighter Future of China-Tajikistan Friendship" published on Friday by the Tajik leading newspaper Narodnaya Gazeta and the state-run Khovar News Agency.

Arriving on Thursday night in Dushanbe from Kazakhstan, the Chinese president started his third state visit to Tajikistan five years after he last set foot on the land of the Central Asian country.

"The famous Tajik poet Rudaki once said that nothing could compare to the joy of a reunion with family or friends," Xi said in the article.

Connected by mountains and rivers, and bonded by the 2,000-plus years of friendship, China and Tajikistan have blazed a successful path for growing relations between neighboring countries since their establishment of diplomatic ties in 1992.

According to Xi, China and Tajikistan treat each other with sincerity, respect and trust, both pursue mutual benefit and win-win results in cooperation, remain committed to mutual learning through friendly exchanges, and stand in solidarity in challenging times.

"Over the past three decades and more, China-Tajikistan relations have stood the test of volatile international situations and maintained the momentum of sound and steady development," Xi said.

China has long been Tajikistan's largest source of investment and its major trading partner, with two-way trade hitting a record high of nearly $4 billion last year.

Tajikistan was among the first countries to participate in Belt and Road cooperation. A number of China-Tajikistan joint projects have been implemented, including a cement plant in Yavan, an agriculture technology demonstration center in Khatlon, and an agriculture and textile park in Dangara. They have helped upgrade Tajikistan's industrial technology and created thousands of local jobs.

Xi said it is particularly heartening that the Tajik parliament building and government building, which the two heads of state jointly launched five years ago, will soon be completed.

"They will be new landmarks in Dushanbe and new symbols of China-Tajikistan cooperation," he said.

As China and Tajikistan are both at a critical stage of national development and revitalization, Xi said he looks forward to his meetings with Rahmon to discuss how best to promote closer cooperation and bring the bilateral relationship to new heights.

He called on the two sides to improve the top-level design for the relationship, expand results-oriented cooperation, deepen security cooperation, promote people-to-people and cultural exchanges, and enhance unity and collaboration.

Xi said China will work with Tajikistan to strengthen complementarity between the Belt and Road Initiative and the National Development Strategy of Tajikistan up to 2030.

"China will import more premium produce from Tajikistan, and encourage strong Chinese companies to make more investments in Tajikistan as a step to help modernize its industrial system," he said.

The Chinese president said his country welcomes more Tajik friends for sightseeing, academic studies, as well as investment, business and exchange opportunities.