MOSCOW, April 23 (Xinhuanet) -- Chinese Foreign Minister Li Zhaoxing held separate talks with his Kazakh and Uzbek counterparts, Kasymzhomart Tokayev and Sadyk Safayev, on bilateralrelations and regional security here on Friday.

    Li, who was here to attend the foreign ministers' regular meeting of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO), said China-Kazakh and China-Uzbek relations have been developing steadily andthe peoples of the three countries have already enjoyed the benefits of the good ties.

    The SCO, formally established in 2001, is an anti-terror and trade group, comprising Russia, China, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan and Uzbekistan.

    Li expressed China's willingness to intensify cooperation with Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan and spoke highly of the two countries' adherence to the one-China policy.

    Tokayev and Safayev said their countries attach importance to developing relations with China and appreciate China's active rolein the SCO and international affairs.

    They also hoped to expand cooperation with China in the fields of politics, economy and trade, as well as energy.

    The three ministers agreed that the fight against the "three evil forces" of terrorism, religious extremism and separatism willbe helpful to maintaining security and stability in the region, vowing to further enhance cooperation in the aspect. Enditem