Foreign and Military Affairs
President Hu concludes Asia trip with pledges of closer ties
(Xinhua)
Updated: 2010-06-13 14:05
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Chinese President Hu Jintao (L) shakes hands with Kazakh President Nursultan Nazarbayev in Astana June 12, 2010. [Xinhua] |
BEIJING - Chinese President Hu Jintao returned to Beijing Sunday morning after a five-day trip to Central Asia, where he attended the 10th annual summit of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) in Uzbekistan and paid state visits to Uzbekistan and Kazakhstan.
The trip witnessed repeated pledges by Hu and leaders of China's Central Asian neighbors to further advance their relations and join hands in building up the influence of the SCO with the aim of safeguarding regional peace, stability and prosperity.
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In Tashkent he attended the SCO's 10th annual summit, where he called for deepening practical cooperation and maintaining peace and stability in the region, and also put forward a series of proposals for enhancing cooperation within the SCO framework.
On the sidelines of the summit, Hu met separately with presidents of Russia, Tajikistan and Turkmenistan and reached important agreements to further enhance the friendship and cooperation between China and these countries.
On Friday Hu traveled to Astana for his second visit to Kazakhstan in six months, where he met with President Nursultan Nazarbayev, Prime Minister Karim Masimov, Senate Chairman Kasymzhomart Tokaevand and chairman of the lower chamber of the parliament Oral Muhamedjanov.
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Chinese President Hu Jintao (7th L) and other participants of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) summit pose for a group photo in Tashkent, capital of Uzbekistan, on June 11, 2010.[Xinhua] |
The two sides pledged concerted efforts to further deepen strategic partnership, expand comprehensive cooperation and strengthen coordination on regional and international affairs.
The two leaders agreed that it is a far-sighted decision of historic significance to establish strategic partnership based on equality and mutual trust between the two countries, which would contribute to deepening comprehensive cooperation, enhancing friendship between the two peoples and safeguarding regional security.
They also agreed the two countries must deepen cooperation under both bilateral and multilateral mechanisms in fighting terrorism, separatism, extremism, organized transnational crimes, drug-trafficking, smuggling and other criminal activities, and thus enhance coordination in law enforcement, defense and security.
China and Kazakhstan would also deepen coordination and collaboration within multilateral frameworks such as the United Nations, the Shanghai Cooperation Organization and the Conference on Interaction and Confidence-Building Measures in Asia and commit themselves to promoting peace, stability and development both regionally and globally, according to a joint communique.
The communique also praised the important role of the SCO in maintaining regional security and stability and promoting the development and prosperity of its member states, adding that further efforts should be made to tap its potential and ensure its steady development.
Regarding the global financial crisis, the two leaders lauded the timely and effective measures taken separately and jointly by the two governments to curb the effects, and agreed to optimize the structure of bilateral trade, improve investment environment and broaden the scope of cooperation to raise bilateral trade to its pre-crisis level or higher.
China-Kazakhstan ties have witnessed rapid and healthy progress since the two countries established diplomatic relations 18 years ago. In 2005, the two countries established a strategic partnership, which ushered in a new stage of development in bilateral ties.
Political analysts say Hu's Central Asia trip is conducive to promoting the SCO's sustained, healthy and stable development and strengthening China's ties with Uzbekistan and Kazakhstan.
