China's top legislator eyes more practical cooperation with Kyrgyzstan

BISHKEK, July 25 (Xinhua) -- China's top legislator Zhao Leji expressed readiness to further boost practical cooperation with Kyrgyzstan during an official goodwill visit from Wednesday to Thursday.

Zhao, chairman of the National People's Congress (NPC) Standing Committee, met with Kyrgyz President Sadyr Japarov and held talks with Kyrgyz Parliament Speaker Nurlanbek Turgunbek uulu in Bishkek during the visit.

When meeting with Japarov, Zhao first conveyed President Xi Jinping's cordial greetings and best wishes.

Hailing the leapfrog development of bilateral relations as in their best shape ever, Zhao said that China is willing to work with Kyrgyzstan to follow the strategic guidance of the two heads of state, carry forward traditional friendship, enhance strategic mutual trust, and firmly support each other on issues concerning each other's core interests.

He called on the two sides to expand trade and investment, advance the high quality construction of the China-Kyrgyzstan-Uzbekistan Railway, and strengthen cooperation in areas such as cross-border road construction, modernization of ports, digital trade, and green energy.

The two sides should promote people-to-people exchanges, jointly ensure the implementation of people's livelihood projects, and continuously enrich the dimensions of the China-Kyrgyzstan comprehensive strategic partnership for a new era, Zhao said.

China is willing to work with Kyrgyzstan and other Central Asian countries to uphold the China-Central Asia Spirit, take the Years of High-Quality Development of China-Central Asia Cooperation as an opportunity to implement more cooperation measures and projects, and promote the building of a closer China-Central Asia community with a shared future, Zhao noted.

He also urged joint efforts to deepen cooperation in law enforcement and security, resolutely fight the "three evil forces" of terrorism, extremism, and separatism, and jointly maintain regional security and stability.

Japarov, for his part, asked Zhao to convey his sincere greetings to Xi.

He said that Kyrgyzstan firmly supports China's position on issues concerning its core interests and major concerns including Taiwan, Xinjiang, Hong Kong and Xizang, supports the three major global initiatives proposed by Xi, and actively participates in the joint construction of the Belt and Road Initiative.

Deeming the China-Kyrgyzstan-Uzbekistan Railway not only an important transportation corridor but also a road of friendship, Japarov expressed his willingness to further enhance cooperation in areas such as investment, finance, culture, legislative bodies and multilateral affairs.

When meeting with Turgunbek uulu, Zhao said that the NPC of China is willing to fully implement the important consensus reached by the two heads of state with the parliament of Kyrgyzstan, strengthen exchanges at all levels of the legislature, and enhance mutual understanding and friendship.

He called for leveraging the functional role of the legislative body to provide legal guarantees for practical cooperation between the two countries and strengthening coordination and cooperation within multilateral parliamentary mechanisms to safeguard the common interests of developing countries.

For his part, Turgunbek uulu said that the Kyrgyz Parliament is willing to closely communicate and cooperate with the NPC of China to follow through on the consensus reached by the two heads of state, play an active role as the legislative body in promoting high-quality Belt and Road cooperation, facilitating bilateral cooperation in economic, trade, local, cultural, scientific, technological, and educational fields, and improving the investment and business environment.