Xi Jinping publishes a signed article in Kazakhstan media

Astana, July 2 (Xinhua) -- On July 2, during his state visit to Kazakhstan in Astana, Chinese President Xi Jinping published a signed article titled "Working Together to Write a New Chapter in China-Kazakhstan Relations" in Kazakhstan Pravda and Kazakh International News Agency. The full text of the article is as follows:

In the midsummer month, everything is in full bloom. In this beautiful season full of vitality, at the invitation of President Tokayev, I will soon pay a state visit to Kazakhstan and attend the Shanghai Cooperation Organization Summit. This is my fifth visit to this charming land since I became President of the People's Republic of China. I am deeply impressed by Kazakhstan's splendid and unique culture, vast and magnificent scenery, and simple and hospitable people. I look forward to experiencing the new developments and changes in Kazakhstan through this visit, discussing the major plans for cooperation between the two countries with President Tokayev, and jointly drawing up a new blueprint for the development of China-Kazakhstan relations and the Shanghai Cooperation Organization.

More than 2,000 years ago, Zhang Qian was sent on a diplomatic mission to the Western Regions, opening the door to friendly exchanges between China and Central Asia. The ancient Silk Road promoted friendly exchanges and mutual learning between our two great nations. More than 80 years ago, two Chinese and Kazakh musicians, Xian Xinghai and Baikadamov, met and got to know each other in Almaty, and forged a brotherly friendship across national borders. 32 years ago, China became one of the first countries to recognize the independence of Kazakhstan, and the relationship between the two countries set sail again. The history of friendly exchanges between China and Kazakhstan fully proves that the development of bilateral relations is in line with the historical trend and the trend of the times.

Eleven years ago, I first proposed the "Silk Road Economic Belt" initiative in Kazakhstan, which received a positive response from all sectors of Kazakh society. The grand picture of the two countries jointly building the "Belt and Road" was thus unfolded, and the development of China-Kazakhstan relations entered a new stage.

We support each other and work together to open up a new height of political mutual trust. China-Kazakhstan relations have leapt from comprehensive strategic partnership to permanent comprehensive strategic partnership, and have reached a vision of building a China-Kazakhstan community with a shared future featuring everlasting friendship, high mutual trust, and sharing weal and woe. The two sides have always firmly supported each other on issues concerning each other's core interests and major concerns, and have always respected each other's development paths independently chosen in accordance with their national conditions. In the face of disasters such as floods and epidemics, they have extended a hand and helped each other, and have always been a strong backing that each other can trust and rely on. This indestructible trust and support is precious and has become the greatest political guarantee for China-Kazakhstan cooperation.

We have achieved new success in pragmatic cooperation through mutual benefit, win-win and coordinated development. Last year, the bilateral trade volume between China and Kazakhstan reached a record high of US$41 billion. China has become Kazakhstan's largest trading partner and largest export destination. Major strategic projects such as the Zhanatas Wind Power Station, the Turgusun Hydropower Station, and the modernization of the Chimkent Refinery have been successfully completed and put into operation. The China-Kazakhstan crude oil pipeline and natural gas pipeline are operating safely and stably. The "green channel" for rapid customs clearance of agricultural products has achieved full coverage, and more and more high-quality green agricultural products from Kazakhstan have entered thousands of households in China. The cooperation potential between the two countries in the fields of new energy, transportation infrastructure, etc. has been continuously released. The Xi'an Land Port Terminal has been completed and put into use. The "Double West Highway" and the China-Europe Express are unimpeded, injecting strong momentum into the development of the two countries.

We helped each other, learned from each other, and set off a new upsurge in cultural exchanges. China and Kazakhstan successfully signed an agreement to set up cultural centers in each other's country and co-produced the film "The Musician" for the first time. Chinese universities in Kazakhstan, Luban Workshop, Chinese Traditional Medicine Center and other cultural cooperation projects have been developed from scratch and improved. Mutual visa exemption allows the people of the two countries to visit each other as often as relatives. Last year, the two countries had nearly 600,000 personnel exchanges. In the first three months of this year, the number has exceeded 200,000, and it is expected to set a new record. Local cooperation has flourished, and the number of friendly provinces, cities and states has increased to 26 pairs. Kapelabekov, an ophthalmologist who is widely respected and loved by Chinese patients, Ruslan, a blood donation volunteer known as "Panda Man", and Dimash, a popular Kazakh singer from all over the country, have become messengers of China-Kazakhstan friendship in the new era.

We have worked together to meet challenges and achieved new results in international cooperation. China and Kazakhstan have similar positions on international and regional affairs. Both sides advocate the practice of a common, comprehensive, cooperative and sustainable security concept and are committed to being builders of world peace, contributors to global development and defenders of the international order. We have jointly established the China-Central Asia mechanism, closely coordinated and cooperated within the framework of multilateral organizations such as the United Nations, the Shanghai Cooperation Organization and the Conference on Interaction and Confidence Building Measures in Asia, actively supported each other's constructive international cooperation initiatives, and resolutely defended the common strategic, security and development interests of the two countries.

Looking into the future, there is much to be done in China-Kazakhstan cooperation, and there will be much to be done. I hope that through this visit, together with President Tokayev, we can continue the traditional friendship, deepen all-round cooperation, make new arrangements and plans for the future of China-Kazakhstan relations, and push the China-Kazakhstan permanent comprehensive strategic partnership to a new level.

First, we need to consolidate the political tradition of mutual support. "When making friends, keep your word." China will continue to treat Kazakhstan with sincerity and trust, continue to consolidate political mutual trust, strengthen strategic communication, and firmly support each other on issues involving each other's core interests and major concerns. China will, as always, support Kazakhstan in safeguarding its national independence, sovereignty, and territorial integrity, support Kazakhstan in taking a development path that suits its national conditions, support Kazakhstan in adopting various internal and external policies with a view to national development and prosperity, and oppose any external forces interfering in Kazakhstan's internal affairs. We must inherit and carry forward the four magic weapons of cooperation: mutual respect, good-neighborliness, solidarity, and mutual benefit and win-win results, and promote the steady and long-term development of China-Kazakhstan relations.

Second, we should make good use of the magic weapon of mutually beneficial and win-win cooperation. China and Kazakhstan have different resource endowments, their economic industries have their own characteristics, their complementary advantages are obvious, and their cooperation potential is huge. China is willing to accelerate the deep connection between the Belt and Road Initiative and the economic policy of "Fair Kazakhstan", further open up China's super-large market to Kazakhstan, and share China's development opportunities. We must deepen cooperation in traditional fields such as economy and trade, production capacity, investment, energy and minerals, and agriculture, improve the efficiency of customs clearance at ports, promote the high-quality operation of China-Europe trains and the construction of the Trans-Caspian International Transport Corridor, and improve the three-dimensional, diversified and efficient interconnection pattern. We should fully tap the potential for cooperation in high-tech fields such as new energy, digital economy, artificial intelligence, cross-border e-commerce, and aerospace, create a high value-added industrial chain and supply chain, and add more new impetus to the cooperation between the two countries.

Third, consolidate the public opinion foundation for friendship from generation to generation. Deepening China-Kazakhstan friendship is what the people of the two countries want and what the people expect. We must inherit this friendship, carry out rich and colorful cultural exchange activities, and further promote the mutual understanding and friendship between the two peoples. We will jointly run the Luban Workshop, Confucius Institute, and Northwestern Polytechnical University Kazakhstan Branch, and cultivate more successors to the cause of China-Kazakhstan friendship. We welcome universities, think tanks, and scientific research institutions of the two countries to carry out joint schooling and cooperative scientific research, support all sectors of society in the two countries to enhance exchanges, encourage more local provinces, states, and cities in the two countries to establish friendly relations, continuously deepen cooperation in education, tourism, archaeology, art, media and other fields, and expand the depth and breadth of cultural exchanges.

Fourth, we should respond to the accelerated changes of the century. The world situation is changing and chaotic. China-Kazakhstan all-round mutually beneficial cooperation faces new threats and challenges, but also new opportunities and new space. The Chinese say that danger and opportunity always complement each other, there are opportunities in danger, and danger can be turned into opportunity. China is willing to work with Kazakhstan to cope with the changes in the world, the times, and history, cultivate new opportunities in crises, and open up new situations in changes. We will firmly defend the international system with the United Nations at its core and the international order based on international law, practice true multilateralism, oppose hegemony, power politics, and camp confrontation, promote equal and orderly world multipolarization and inclusive economic globalization, inject more positive energy and stability into maintaining world peace and stability, and make more contributions from China and Kazakhstan.

Another important item on my agenda during my visit to Kazakhstan is the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) Summit. Since assuming the rotating presidency of the SCO, Kazakhstan has done a lot of fruitful work and expanded the organization's influence, which China highly appreciates. I believe that with the joint efforts of all parties, the Astana Summit will be a complete success, further unite the SCO family, and open up a new situation for organizational cooperation.

As an old Chinese saying goes, "Those who share the same will will win, and those who work together will succeed." The Kazakh people say, "Five fingers make a fist, and everyone is united as one." China is willing to work together with Kazakhstan to achieve national prosperity and rejuvenation, move forward side by side, draw a new blueprint for cooperation between the two countries, and write a new chapter in China-Kazakhstan friendship.