In Astana, President Kasym-Zhomart Tokayev received Deputy Prime Minister of the State Council of the People's Republic of China, Liu Guozhong, who arrived in Kazakhstan on an official visit, Zakon.kz reports.
During the negotiations, the current state and prospects of development of the Kazakh-Chinese strategic partnership were discussed, as well as the progress in implementing agreements reached earlier by President Kasym-Zhomart Tokayev and the Chairman of the PRC, Xi Jinping.
Tokayev noted that Kazakhstan has been and remains a reliable partner of China. He emphasized that elevating bilateral relations with China to a new qualitative level is a top priority for the country.
"I am pleased to note that the comprehensive strategic partnership and eternal friendship between Kazakhstan and China are continuously developing and aimed at the future. China is Kazakhstan's leading trade and economic partner, ranking first in bilateral trade volume. In 2023, this figure reached a record $40 billion. We aim to increase the trade turnover to $100 billion. We believe that this goal is quite achievable," said Kasym-Zhomart Tokayev.
The Deputy Prime Minister of the State Council of China also noted the positive dynamics of cooperation between China and Kazakhstan.
"As a long-standing and good friend of the Chinese people, over the years, you have made an important contribution to the development of Sino-Kazakh relations, which is highly appreciated by the Chinese side. I am confident that under your leadership, Kazakhstan will move forward in state development and the construction of a powerful and prosperous New Kazakhstan. China and Kazakhstan are good neighbors, reliable partners, and very good friends who complement each other," noted Liu Guozhong.
During the meeting, the participants discussed the prospects for enhancing cooperation in trade, investments, agriculture, transportation and logistics, energy, and tourism. Issues of developing cultural and humanitarian ties were also discussed.
Earlier, Kasym-Zhomart Tokayev met with the Secretaries of the Security Councils of the Central Asian countries, who held a multilateral meeting and discussed the current situation in the region. The President emphasized that this meeting is intended to be an effective platform for uniting efforts to prevent external and internal challenges and threats.
CentralasianLIGHT.org
May 16, 2024