China, Kazakhstan pledge to align development strategies

Chinese President Xi Jinping (R) meets his Kazakh counterpart, Nursultan Nazarbayev (L) in the Uzbek capital Tashkent on June 24, 2016. [Photo/Xinhua]

TASHKENT -- Chinese and Kazakh leaders vowed here Friday to seek synergy between their respective development strategies amid efforts to boost bilateral cooperation.

The two sides should speed up and well plan the aligning of the China-proposed Silk Road Economic Belt initiative and Kazakhstan's new economic policy named the Bright Road, and strengthen cooperation in a wide range of areas, according to Chinese President Xi Jinping and his Kazakh counterpart, Nursultan Nazarbayev.

They made the pledge during a meeting on the sidelines of an annual summit of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) in the Uzbek capital Tashkent.

Xi reviewed the bilateral cooperation since the two countries established a comprehensive strategic partnership five years ago, saying that rapid progress and fruitful results have been achieved.

"China and Kazakhstan have become a community of common interest and shared future in a real sense," he said. "The Chinese side is willing to work with Kazakhstan to lift our cooperation to a higher level."

Xi suggested that the two countries keep close high-level contacts, support and coordinate with each other on major issues of their respective concern, and always plan for cooperation from a strategic height and a long-term perspective.

He called on the two countries to make the best use of the new model the two countries have created for industrial capacity cooperation, to push for the early implementation of related projects as well as cooperation in agriculture, energy, local affairs, cultural and people-to-people exchanges, and environment protection.

China supports Kazakhstan in hosting a "China Tourism Year" in 2017, Xi said.

The president also said that China is willing to enhance cooperation with Kazakhstan in the United Nations and other multilateral platforms.

China will offer strong support to Kazakhstan after it takes over the rotating chair of the SCO following the Tashkent summit, to jointly contribute to the greater development for the organization, Xi added.

Nazarbayev extended his warm congratulations on the 95th anniversary of the founding the Communist Party of China, which falls on July 1.

He said that it is a priority in the foreign policy of Kazakhstan to develop a relationship with China featuring good-neighborliness, mutual trust and friendship.

Kazakhstan firmly supports China's Silk Road Economic Belt initiative, and wants to initiate bilateral industrial capacity cooperation projects at an early date, such as in auto and chemical engineering industries, and to increase cooperation in trade, agriculture, logistics, infrastructure and tourism, Nazarbayev said.

The Kazakh side stands ready to make joint efforts with China to ensue a sound development of the SCO, he added.