President Xi’s visit cements China-Kazakhstan ties

Chinese President Xi Jinping’s upcoming visit to Kazakhstan will help boost bilateral ties with the aim to jointly build a community of common interests and destiny, said Chinese Ambassador to Kazakhstan Zhang Hanhui in a signed article published on People’s Daily on Wednesday.

Xi kicked off a four-day state visit to Kazakhstan on Wednesday where he will attend the 17th meeting of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) Council of Heads of State and the opening ceremony of the 2017 World Expo.

Xi’s visit this time will be another historical one following his previous two visits to Kazakhstan. Relations between the two countries are now solid-based after experiencing substantial progress since the two countries established bilateral ties 25 years ago.

Xi outlined the general direction of China-Kazakhstan cooperation when he visited Kazakhstan in 2013, which is to jointly build the Silk Road Economic Belt. Kazakh President Nursultan Nazarbayev has also put forth the new economic policy of the “Bright Road” after Xi proposed the Belt and Road initiative.

Cooperation between the two countries has reached an unprecedented high, with active collaboration in many fields, wrote Zhang, citing the examples of the construction of the Silk Road Economic Belt, the alignment of the Belt and Road initiative and the “Bright Road” strategy, capacity cooperation, border cooperation and cultural cooperation.

People-to-people exchange is the foundation for bilateral ties and Belt and Road construction, the diplomat wrote.

He illustrated that Kazakh singer Dimash Kudaibergen has made his name in China via a Chinese entertainment show, resulting in an increasing attention on Chinese cultural market and development paid by Kazakh people.

WeChat, Chinese mobile social application, has also gained a number of users in Kazakhstan. The China Tourism Year that has been launched in Kazakhstan in 2017 is of significantly positive meaning to reinforce people-to-people exchange between the two countries.

The 17th meeting of the SCO Council of Heads of State in Astana is destined to be a historical event, he said, adding that the SCO will witness its first expansion since its founding in 2001. India and Pakistan will become two new members of the organization. The enlargement is a major step achieved by the SCO, greatly improving the organization’s overall strength, coverage and cooperation momentum, said the article.

The theme of Astana Expo 2017 is “Future Energy”. China Pavilion will be the second largest exhibition hall after Kazakhstan Pavilion.

The nuclear power technology of Hualong One reactor, nuclear fusion technology, simulators of photovoltaic power, wind power and high speed rail, as well as clean energy will be on display at the event, reflecting China’s leading capability in the field of new energy development.

In the future, Chinese enterprises are expected to lead the world in both technology and market share, the diplomat said, adding that China and Kazakhstan enjoy promising potential in cooperation on the utilization of wind power, photovoltaic power and clean energy, as well as the efficient use of traditional energy.