China and Kazakhstan on Saturday agreed to work together to advance the Global Initiative on Data Security launched by China and jointly crack down on false information. 

China made the proposal on Tuesday to promote the formulation of global data security rules and build an open, cooperative and safe global data space, said Chinese State Councilor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi during talks with Kazakh Foreign Minister Mukhtar Tileuberdi in Nur-Sultan, capital city of Kazakhstan. 

The foreign minister said China invites countries interested in the proposal, including Kazakhstan, to jointly advance the initiative and is willing to enhance communication with Kazakhstan in this regard.

He also called on the two countries to conduct all-round cooperation in the post-epidemic era, synergize China's Belt and Road Initiative with Kazakhstan's Bright Path new economic policy, and tap the potential for cooperation.  

Wang said Kazakhstan's strategic hub role in transit transportation became more prominent amid the pandemic, and expressed support for expanding the China-Kazakhstan highway and railway transportation as well as accelerating research to improve the freight capacity of border ports.

The two sides need to build a healthy Silk Road, he stated, adding that China will continue to provide Kazakhstan with anti-epidemic support, share medical treatment experience, and strengthen cooperation in vaccine and drug research and development until Kazakhstan completely overcomes the pandemic. 

Tileuberdi said protecting data security is an urgent matter. "Kazakhstan supports the Global Initiative on Data Security launched by China and is willing to make it a priority in bilateral cooperation." 

He said the two countries should resume normal exchanges among all levels as soon as possible, resume port customs clearance and cargo transportation, and explore cooperation between the two countries in areas such as infrastructure, investment, trade, transportation and cultural exchanges.

Global Initiative on Data Security

China on Tuesday held the first International Seminar on Global Digital Governance in Beijing and proposed the Global Initiative on Data Security during the seminar.

It came one month after the U.S. said it was purging "untrusted" Chinese apps under a program dubbed "Clean Network."

The Chinese initiative calls upon various parties to treat data security objectively and reasonably and opposes sabotaging the critical infrastructure of other countries or stealing important data using information technology. 

The initiative asks countries to encourage companies to abide by the laws and regulations where they operate. And it says countries should not ask domestic companies to store data generated and obtained overseas in their own territory. 

China welcomes Kazakhstan to attend this year's import expo

On the same day, Wang also met Kazakh President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev in Nur-Sultan and said China welcomes Kazakhstan to attend this year's China International Import Expo.

Chinese President Xi Jinping proposed a new development pattern that "takes the domestic market as the mainstay while letting internal and external markets boost each other." Wang said the decision is an inevitable choice for China's economic development and an important measure to respond to changes in the international economic situation. 

The expansion of the Chinese market and the deepening of opening-up will provide broader space for China to cooperate with other countries, said Wang.

China and Kazakhstan are a community with shared future. China will firmly safeguard the China-Kazakhstan friendship and support the Kazakh government to maintain the country's stable development, he continued.

Wang also said the two sides should jointly uphold multilateralism, safeguard the international system with the United Nations at its core and safeguard regional peace.

Tokayev said no matter how the international situation changes, Kazakhstan opposes interference in the internal affairs of other countries and is willing to work with China to crack down on false information, including preventing the spread of false information through social media from undermining domestic stability. 

Kazakhstan is willing to deepen people-to-people exchanges between the two countries and welcomes setting up more Confucius Institutes in Kazakhstan, said the president.

Priority of neighboring diplomacy

Wang also met with the first President of Kazakhstan Nazarbayev in Nur Sultan late Saturday. Hailing the sound and steady bilateral relations, the two sides reiterated the determination to enhance cooperation and put the ties as the priority of neighboring diplomacy.

Wang Yi attributed achievements in the development of China-Kazakhstan relations to the hard work and wisdom of President Xi, saying sustained and stable bilateral ties are directly related to the future of the two countries and their peoples.

Appreciating Nazarbayev's contribution in supporting the initiative of jointly building the "Silk Road Economic Belt" seven years ago, Wang assured the former president of no changes in China's determination to deepen friendly cooperation with Kazakhstan, no matter how the world changes.

At present, China and Kazakhstan are both committed to the great cause of national prosperity and national rejuvenation. Both sides should deepen political mutual trust, firmly follow the development path that suits our own national conditions, and become a strong support and strong backing for each other's stability and development, noted Wang.

Nazarbayev, for his part, thanked President Xi Jinping for his important message and the "Medal of Friendship" awarded by Xi last year.

Nazarbayev echoed Wang's words and added that Kazakhstan firmly supports various domestic and foreign policies promoted by China.

He also spoke highly of China's promotion of a "dual circulation" development pattern, saying that China, under the leadership of President Xi Jinping, will be able to successfully achieve the set ambitious development goals.

Kazakhstan will, as always, actively support the joint construction of the "Belt and Road" and promote the continuous development of the permanent comprehensive strategic partnership between Kazakhstan and China, said the former president.