The Head of State, Kassym-Jomart Tokayev, received the Ambassador of China to Kazakhstan Zhang Xiao.
Kassym-Jomart Tokayev outlined Kazakhstan's principled approach to further development of a comprehensive strategic partnership with China on a long-term basis in the post-crisis period.
As the Head of State emphasized, "mutually beneficial cooperation and strategic partnership between Kazakhstan and China is of a stable nature, not subject to any opportunistic political tendencies. Kazakhstan and China are close neighbors, reliable friends and strategic partners. This cooperation corresponds to the national interests of Kazakhstan. Between our countries there are no issues that cannot be resolved through constructive, trusting dialogue."
Having conveyed warm greetings to President of the People's Republic of China Xi Jinping, the President invited the Chinese leader to pay a state visit to Kazakhstan at a convenient time for him.
Kassym-Jomart Tokayev praised the mutual assistance of Kazakhstan and China since the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic. It was noted that the expected deliveries of Chinese-made vaccines to Kazakhstan will undoubtedly complement the efforts of the Government for universal vaccination of the population of Kazakhstan, along with the use of the Russian drug "Sputnik V" and the domestic vaccine "QazVac".
According to the Head of State, the upcoming two 30-year anniversary dates - the Independence of Kazakhstan and the establishment of diplomatic relations between Kazakhstan and China - provide a good opportunity to define new horizons for strategic partnership. During this period, Kassym-Jomart Tokayev believes, both countries have achieved outstanding results both in their development and in strengthening comprehensive cooperation.
The President congratulated the Chinese people on the historic challenge of ending absolute poverty, decisive defeat of the coronavirus, and impressive economic recovery.
The Head of State confirmed the readiness of the Kazakh side to strengthen political contacts at the highest and high levels, to expand economic ties. The PRC is the largest foreign trade partner of Kazakhstan with a trade turnover of $ 15 billion in 2020.
In order to bring bilateral trade and investment ties to the trajectory of sustainable and balanced development, Kassym-Jomart Tokayev made proposals aimed at restoring the normal operation of road and railway checkpoints on the Kazakh-Chinese border, increasing their throughput in the post-pandemic period.
The President also considers it possible to resume regular air transportation of citizens and goods. It is important to concentrate the efforts of the parties on the development of such promising areas of cooperation as digitalization, green technologies, innovation, where China's successes are obvious.
The Head of State said about the need to intensify work to combine the Kazakhstani strategy "Nurly Zhol" with the Chinese initiative "Belt and Road". The President called for the full use of the opportunities for mutually beneficial cooperation arising from the National Development Plan of Kazakhstan until 2025 and the Chinese concept "Double Circulation".
Kassym-Jomart Tokayev also noted the coincidence of the positions of Kazakhstan and China on key issues on the world agenda. He expressed gratitude to the Chinese side for supporting the CICA and confirmed readiness for further cooperation with the PRC within the UN, SCO and in the "Central Asia + China" format.
By the Kazakhstanskaya Pravda
