ASHGABAT, Dec. 14 (Xinhua) -- Chinese President Hu Jintao's visit to Central Asia has been fruitful, Chinese Foreign Minister Yang Jiechi said Monday.
Hu has reached broad consensus with leaders of Central Asian countries on strengthening political mutual trust, deepening practical cooperation, and promoting communication and coordination in multilateral organizations, Yang told reporters.
CHINA-KAZAKHSTAN STRATEGIC PARTNERSHIP PROMOTED
Chinese President Hu Jintao (L) meets with Kazakhstan's President Nursultan Nazarbayev in Astana Dec. 12, 2009. (Xinhua/Lan Hongguang) Photo Gallery>>>
During his visit to Kazakhstan, the Chinese leader reached agreement with his Kazakh counterpart, Nursultan Nazarbayev, on promoting the Sino-Kazakh strategic partnership, said Yang, who was accompanying Hu during his visit.
Hu made five proposals: strengthening political mutual trust, deepening cooperation in the energy sector and other sectors, enhancing financial cooperation, and expanding cultural cooperation.
Hu expressed China's willingness to work with Kazakhstan and support each other on issues concerning their core interests, and push forward practical cooperation in various areas.
Nazarbayev said he highly valued the important role of China's good neighborly foreign policy in promoting peace, security and development in Asia and the world.
The two leaders agreed to further promote practical cooperation between China and Kazakhstan in various fields, and strengthen cooperation in important organizations and frameworks such as the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) and the Conference on Interaction and Confidence-building Measures in Asia (CICA), Yang said.
Expanding cultural exchange was high on the agenda of Hu's visit, said Yang. Hu announced the doubling of the number of scholarships for Kazakh students to study in China from next year on, and agreed with Nazarbayev to increase cultural exchanges among the two peoples.
Both leaders attended the completion ceremony of the China-Kazakhstan natural gas pipeline, part of the China-Central Asia natural gas pipeline.
The two countries also signed a series of bilateral cooperation documents in finance, trade and energy.
Furthermore, the two sides agreed to speed up implementation of a 10-billion-U.S. dollar loan agreement between China and Kazakhstan.
CHINA-TURKMENISTAN COOPERATION ENHANCED
Chinese President Hu Jintao (L) shakes hands with Turkmen President Gurbanguly Berdymukhamedov in Ashgabat, capital of Turkmenistan, on Dec. 13, 2009. (Xinhua Photo) Photo Gallery>>>
During his visit to Turkmenistan, Hu proposed enhancing pragmatic cooperation between the two countries, including the initiation of a mechanism of Sino-Turkmen cooperation commission, deepening cooperation in energy area and in other sectors, and implementing the agreed loan projects.
The Turkmen side welcomed Chinese investments in oil and gas, transportation and other sectors, and sees promising prospects in cooperation with China in areas of chemical industry, building materials, science and technology, culture and education.
Both sides agreed to enhance people-to-people contacts and exchanges.
Hu announced the doubling of the number of scholarships for Turkmen students to study in China.
Hu and his counterparts from Turkmenistan, Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan on Monday jointly put into operation the China-Central Asia natural gas pipeline near the Turkmen-Uzbek border linking the four nations.
Hu considered the pipeline a model of solidarity and mutually beneficial cooperation of the four countries. The four leaders believed that the pipeline would bring benefits to China and the Central Asian region.
Yang said the start-up of the pipeline indicates that cooperation between China and Turkmenistan has reached a new level.
SINO-UZBEK PARTNERSHIP ADVANCED
Visiting Chinese President Hu Jintao (R) meets with Uzbek President Islam Karimov in Ashgabat, capital of Turkmenistan, on Dec. 13, 2009.(Xinhua Photo) Photo Gallery>>>
China sees Uzbekistan as an important cooperative partner in Central Asia and it is China's firm policy to safeguard and develop its relations with Uzbekistan, Yang said.
Hu met with Uzbek President Islam Karimov in Turkmenistan.
Hu said China is ready to work with Uzbekistan to ensure a safe and smooth operation of the China-Central Asia natural gas pipeline, and implement the agreements concerning the expansion of bilateral cooperation in oil and gas.
The Chinese leader said cooperation should be promoted particularly in the fields of economics and trade, transportation, telecommunications, light industry and agriculture. He also expected to see a full play of the role of the intergovernmental economic and trade cooperation commission.
Karimov spoke highly of the development of Uzbek-China ties, saying the development of bilateral ties is not only conducive to the two countries, but is also of great significance to maintaining peace and stability in the Central Asian region.
He hailed the effective measures China has adopted in response to the global financial crisis and China's important role in promoting the growth of the world economy.
Yang said mutual support in issues concerning each other's core interests is the important political basis for the development of China's relations with the three Central Asian countries.
Leaders from the three Central Asian nations reiterated their adherence to the one-China policy and voiced support for China's efforts to protect its sovereignty and territorial integrity.
They also vowed to work with China to strengthen security cooperation, both bilaterally and in the framework of the SCO, to fight terrorism, separatism and extremism, so as to safeguard security and stability and ensure common development and prosperity of the area.
Central Asian leaders also applauded China's major and active role in handling major international issues, and said they wished to advance cooperation with China in international and regional organizations.
Yang said China has been consistent in adopting a foreign policy of good neighborly relations. Under new circumstances, it is in the interests of both China and Central Asia to further deepen traditional friendship and boost mutually beneficial and pragmatic cooperation in a variety of fields.
President Hu's visit will surely have far-reaching effects on further developing the relations between China and Central Asian countries and boosting regional peace, stability and prosperity, Yang said.
Chinese President Hu Jintao (2nd L, front), Turkmen President Gurbanguly Berdymukhamedov (3rd L, front), Kazakh President Nursultan Nazarbayev (1st L, front) and Uzbek President Islam Karimov (R, front) attend the inauguration ceremony of the China-Central Asia natural gas pipeline in the gas plant on the right bank of the Amu Darya River, Turkmenistan, on Dec. 14, 2009. (Xinhua/Lan Hongguang) Photo Gallery>>>
TURKMENABAD, Dec. 14 (Xinhua) -- Chinese President Hu Jintao and his counterparts from Turkmenistan, Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan Monday jointly put into operation a natural gas pipeline linking the four nations.
At the ceremony in a gas plant near the Turkmen-Uzbek border, President Hu said the China-Central Asia natural gas pipeline is a model of sincere solidarity and mutually beneficial cooperation of the four countries. He said the gas pipeline is a carrier of goodwill for friendship and mutual benefits of the four countries. Full story
ASHGABAT, Dec. 14 (Xinhua) -- Chinese President Hu Jintao held talks here on Sunday with his Turkmen and Uzbek counterparts in efforts to enhance ties and mutually beneficial cooperation with the two countries. Full story
ALMATY, Dec. 9 (Xinhua) -- The Central Asian gas pipeline, which will go into operation next year, will boost cooperation with Kazakhstan's neighbors and bring benefits to all in the region, the general manager of the Chinese-Kazakh joint venture Asian Gas Pipeline says.
In a recent interview with Chinese media, Beimbet Shayakhmetov said the construction of Line A of the dual pipeline has already been completed and ready for operation, while Line B is expected to begin to deliver gas in April or May next year.Full story
