On June 12, 2010, Chinese President Hu Jintao met with Kazakh President Nazarbayev in Astana, exchanging in-depth views on bilateral ties as well as other issues of common concern and reaching a lot of important consensus.
No matter what changes had occurred in the international situation since the two countries established diplomatic ties 18 years ago, China-Kazakhstan relations had always maintained a momentum of rapid and healthy growth, the Chinese president said. The two countries maintained frequent high-level exchanges, increased political trust and supported each other on issues concerning each other's core concerns. The two economies are mutually beneficial and complementary with fruitful cooperation in economy, trade, energy and non-resource sectors. Both sides have learnt from each other in the humanities area and continuously deepened mutual understanding and friendship between their peoples. Both sides have also coordinated closely in international and regional affairs, which effectively safeguarded the two countries' common interests and made positive contributions to regional peace and development.
Hu said China attached great importance to its relationship with Kazakhstan and regarded it as one of its diplomatic priorities. Hu said China would continue to support Kazakhstan in choosing its own development path according to its own national conditions and formulating its domestic and foreign policies, and that China supported Kazakhstan playing a greater role in regional and international affairs.
In order to further advance the strategic partnership with Kazakhstan, Hu put forward a five-point proposal. First, enhancing mutual trust through close high-level contact. He urged both sides to keep closer friendly exchanges at high and other levels and continuously lift the level of political trust based on mutual respect and equality. Second, expanding practical cooperation for greater convergence of interests. Both sides should make best use of their economic complementarities to deepen pragmatic cooperation in energy and non-resource sectors and enhance cooperation at local levels. Third, improving traditional friendship by increasing cultural exchanges. He suggested both sides carry out cultural exchange activities in various forms and pledged to increase the number of scholarships provided to Kazakh students. Fourth, strengthening security cooperation to promote regional stability. Hu said China would actively participate in joint anti-terror military exercises by members of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) in Kazakhstan this year. China would step up security cooperation with Kazakhstan on the international occasions of the Shanghai World Expo, the Asian Games in Guangzhou and the Winter Asian Games in Almaty. Fifth, stepping up cooperation in multilateral frameworks to safeguard common interests. Both sides should enhance coordination and cooperation in the United Nations, the SCO, the Conference on Interaction and Confidence-Building Measures in Asia and other multilateral frameworks to jointly cope with global and regional challenges.
Hu said, with the joint efforts of China, Kazakhstan and other parties, the SCO summit in the Uzbek capital city of Tashkent ended successfully. He expected the SCO to successfully celebrate its 10th anniversary and expand cooperation to a new level during Kazakhstan's tenure as the presiding country. Hu said China would spare no efforts in supporting Kazakhstan in performing the duty of a presiding country.
Nazarbayev expressed warm welcome to President Hu for his visit to Kazakhstan, the sixth of its kind. He said the frequent visits that President Hu made to Kazakhstan reflected the high level of bilateral relations. He expressed his full agreement with President Hu's important proposal on developing bilateral ties, saying that Kazakhstan attaches great importance to ties with China and speaks highly of the rapid progress in bilateral ties since the establishment of diplomatic ties 18 years ago. Kazakhstan-China strategic partnership has been developing rapidly based on mutual trust and mutual respect with frequent top-level exchanges and enhanced cooperation in all areas. Both sides have rapidly resumed trade growth, with energy cooperation progressing smoothly. The cooperation in non-resource sectors has been further strengthened, a number of key infrastructure projects are under implementation and cooperation in the areas of agriculture, transportation and technology has made remarkable results. China has offered investment loans to Kazakhstan, which was of great significance to pushing forward Kazakhstan's economic and social development.
Nazarbayev emphasized that his country is ready to work with China to strengthen cooperation on policies, economy, humanities and security as well as coordination in major international and regional issues so as to safeguard common interests of the two countries and peace and stability of Central Asia and push bilateral ties to a higher level.
Nazarbayev said Kazakhstan attached importance to cooperation with China within the SCO and would work actively to promote cooperation among SCO members during its term as president. He said Kazakhstan would host the SCO summit next year and make it a big event of unity, mutual trust and common development.
Prior to the talks, President Hu Jintao attended a welcome ceremony held for him by Nazarbayev. Following the talks, the two heads of state attended the signing ceremony of a couple of cooperation documents between the two countries and met the press.
Ling Jihua, Wang Huning, Dai Bingguo and other officials attended the above activities.