Special Report: Premier Wen visits Russia, Kazakhstan, attends SCO meeting

Backgrounder: Basic facts about China-Kazakhstan relations

Kazakh President Nursultan Nazarbayev (R) shakes hands with Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao in Astana, capital of Kazakhstan, Oct. 31, 2008. (Xinhua/Rao Aimin) Photo Gallery>>>

    ASTANA, Oct. 31 (Xinhua) -- Kazakh President Nursultan Nazarbayev met with visiting Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao on Friday to exchange views on bilateral ties and the current global financial crisis.

    During the meeting, Wen described Kazakhstan as a friendly neighbor and important partner of China.

    He said China values relations with Kazakhstan and will work to strengthen the friendship and political mutual trust between the two nations and implement the cooperation agreements so as to push forward the strategic partnership between China and Kazakhstan.

    Nazarbayev said Kazakhstan and China, as friendly neighbors and good friends and partners, enjoy close ties and a firm foundation of cooperation.

    The Kazakh president reiterated his country's adherence to a policy of good-neighborliness toward China and pledged to promote the all-round cooperation with China.

    On the international financial crisis, Wen said China is closely following the impact of the crisis worldwide, especially on developing nations, adding that confidence, responsibility and cooperation are vital to overcoming the crisis.

    Within the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO), the vast land, rich resources and human resource and technological advantages of member countries have provided favorable conditions for them to jointly tackle the financial crisis, Wen said.

    China is ready to work with other SCO members in offering mutual support and overcoming the current difficulties, he said.

    Wen said China supports efforts by enterprises from both sides to cooperate in a more flexible way and make more effective use of capital.

    Nazarbayev said Kazakhstan values and appreciates China's stance and role in the face of the financial crisis.

    The steady and rapid development of the Chinese economy is critical to the region and the whole world at large, he said, adding that Kazakhstan will continue to coordinate with China.

    Wen arrived here Wednesday on a three-day official visit to Kazakhstan, where he also attended the 7th SCO prime ministers' meeting.

    The SCO, a regional organization founded in 2001, comprises China, Russia, Uzbekistan, Tajikistan, Kyrgyzstan and Kazakhstan. Mongolia, India, Iran and Pakistan are observer nations.

China, Kazakhstan agree to push forward key co-op programs 

    ASTANA, Oct. 31 (Xinhua) -- China and Kazakhstan agreed on Friday in a joint communique to set maintaining sustained growth of bilateral trade volume and promoting implementation of key cooperation programs as priorities of bilateral economic and trade cooperation.

    To this end, the two countries decided to improve investment environment, work out new cooperation mode, optimize trade structure and strengthen economic and technological cooperation to facilitate companies of both countries, said the communique, which was issued during Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao's visit to the Central Asian country. Full story

China, Kazakhstan pledge to further develop trade in border areas

    ASTANA, Oct. 31 (Xinhua) -- China and Kazakhstan pledged to support economic and trade development in their border areas and accelerate the construction of an international cooperation center at the border city of Horgos, said a joint communique issued here Friday.

    The communique was issued during Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao's visit to Astana, the capital of Kazakhstan where he attended the 7th prime ministers' meeting of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) member countries on Thursday. Full story

Premier Wen makes four-point proposal for strengthening SCO co-op

    ASTANA, Oct. 30 (Xinhua) -- Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao made a four-point proposal on Thursday for enhancing the pragmatic cooperation among members of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO).

    The premier made the proposal in an address to the 7th SCO prime ministers' meeting in Astana, the capital of Kazakhstan. Full story

Chinese premier says to strengthen cooperation with Mongolia

    ASTANA, Oct. 30 (Xinhua) -- Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao said here Thursday that China will further enhance its cooperation with Mongolia amid dramatically changing international situation and the current global financial crisis.

    On the sidelines of the 7th prime ministers' meeting of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO), the Chinese premier met with Sanj Bayar, prime minister of Mongolia, which is an SCO observer. Full story

Chinese premier says multipolar world conducive to peace, development

    MOSCOW, Oct. 29 (Xinhua) -- China believes that a mulitipolar world is in the interest of the world people and is conducive to peace and development across the globe, Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao said here Wednesday.

    In an interview with Russia's Itar-Tass and Interfax news agencies, Wen said that people across the world need a peaceful, stable, secure and harmonious environment. Full story