Kassym-Jomart Tokayev held a telephone talk with President of China Xi Jinping.
The leaders of the two countries expressed the opinion that a regular trusting dialogue at the highest level is the key to progressive strengthening of a long-term comprehensive strategic partnership. The parties positively assessed the progress in the implementation of important agreements reached during the state visit of the President of Kazakhstan to the PRC in September 2019.
Noting the approach of an important anniversary date - the 30th anniversary of diplomatic relations, Tokayev welcomed the progress in bilateral cooperation. The current state of cooperation was characterized as exemplary and with a large margin of safety in the face of any challenge.
China is our eternal neighbor, he said, with whom we have a common border of peace and comprehensive cooperation.A good example is mutual support in the difficult period of COVID-19 pandemic, Tokayev added. He thanked the Chinese side for the recently delivered to Kazakhstan first batch of CoronaVac vaccine.
Xi Jinping agreed with the assessment of his Kazakh counterpart regarding the state of the bilateral strategic partnership and the mutual assistance provided at this difficult time and noted the special role of Kazakhstan in the implementation of the historic Belt and Road initiative, which has convincingly proved its relevance against the background of an unprecedented rupture of global supply chains due to the coronavirus.
Tokayev confirmed Kazakhstan's firm commitment to further diversification of transit and transport routes passing through our territory. He also spoke in favor of the soonest restoration of normal operation of automobile and railway checkpoints on the Kazakh-Chinese border, as well as regular air communication. This step would be a powerful positive signal to the business community and the general public of the two countries.
The President urged to look for innovative solutions in terms of joint advancement along other vectors of the Belt and Road, including in finance, digitalization and green technologies.
Kassym-Jomart Tokayev and Xi Jinping agreed to instruct the respective governments to begin substantive study of the initiatives expressed.
Views were exchanged on topical issues of the world and regional agenda. The parties noted large reserves of interaction within the framework of such multilateral venues as the UN, SCO and the Central Asia-China format. Both leaders emphasized the special relevance in the new era of the concepts of multilateralism and construction of a "community of the common destiny of mankind." The President of Kazakhstan expressed gratitude to the Chinese side for the continued support of the CICA and praised results of the Central Asian countries’ foreign ministers’ meeting in Xi'an, expressing his readiness to contribute to development of this format of international interaction, and suggested holding another one in Kazakhstan in 2022.
Xi Jinping believes that Kazakhstan, as a large state in Central Asia, can play a very important role in maintaining security and stability in the region, especially after withdrawal of American troops from Afghanistan.
Ending the conversation, the parties agreed to continue close contacts at various levels, to hold a meeting of the SCO heads of government in the capital of Kazakhstan on the occasion of the 20th anniversary of the Organization. Through diplomatic channels the timing will be agreed of the reciprocal state visit of the President of China Xi Jinping to our country.
By the Kazakhstanskaya Pravda
