Xi Jinping Meets with Kyrgyz President Sadyr Zhaparov

On the afternoon of July 3, 2024 local time, President Xi Jinping met with Kyrgyz President Sadyr Zhaparov ahead of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) Summit in Astana.

Xi Jinping pointed out that he and President Sadyr Zhaparov held fruitful talks in Xi'an in May last year and reached many common understandings on China-Kyrgyzstan relations and bilateral cooperation in various fields. Over the past year or so, these common understandings have been effectively implemented, with good news on China-Kyrgyzstan cooperation coming out one after another. Neighbors wish each other well, just as loved ones do to each other. China is happy to see a stable and developing Kyrgyzstan and will, as always, firmly support Kyrgyzstan in safeguarding national independence, sovereignty and territorial integrity and finding a development path suited to its national conditions. China is ready to work with Kyrgyzstan to deepen the synergy of development strategies, expand the sharing of governance experience, promote all-round mutually beneficial cooperation, and advance the building of a China-Kyrgyzstan community with a shared future.

Xi Jinping stressed that the two sides should explore new ways of thinking to deepen and substantiate high-quality Belt and Road cooperation. The two sides should also expand economic, trade and investment cooperation, enhance connectivity and expand cooperation on new quality productive forces. China is ready to import more quality green agricultural products from Kyrgyzstan, support Chinese enterprises in investing and doing business in Kyrgyzstan, strengthen cooperation with Kyrgyzstan in areas such as new energy vehicles and cross-border e-commerce, and accelerate the construction of the China-Kyrgyzstan-Uzbekistan railway project. The two sides should give full play to the role of such platforms as the Traditional Chinese Medicine Center, the Chinese Cultural Center and the Luban Workshop in Kyrgyzstan, to cultivate more successors to China-Kyrgyzstan friendship and cooperation. China is also ready to step up coordination and cooperation with Kyrgyzstan to further strengthen the China-Central Asia mechanism and ensure that the SCO develops in the right direction that serves the common interests of all parties.

Zhaparov said that he still vividly remembered his visit to China in May last year, which opened up a new era in Kyrgyzstan-China relations. At present, Kyrgyzstan and China enjoy growing high-level political relations, close communication between various departments, booming exchanges and cooperation at the subnational level, and steadily enhanced trade and investment relations. In the face of global changes unseen in a century, Kyrgyzstan-China relations have always been rock-solid, and there are no political differences or cooperation obstacles between the two countries. Kyrgyzstan firmly adheres to the one-China principle, welcomes more Chinese enterprises to invest in the country, and will provide a favorable business environment for Chinese enterprises. Zhaparov expressed the hope that the two sides will make joint efforts to advance the construction of the China-Kyrgyzstan-Uzbekistan railway project and keep close multilateral communication and coordination at the SCO and other multilateral platforms.

Cai Qi and Wang Yi, among others, were present at the meeting.