Chinese State Councilor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi on Tuesday said that China is willing to step up COVID-19 vaccination cooperation with Kyrgyzstan.

Wang made the remarks when meeting with his Kyrgyz counterpart Ruslan Kazakbaev at the sidelines of second China + Central Asia (C+C5) foreign ministers' meeting in Xi'an, northwest China.

Calling Kyrgyzstan China's "good neighbor, good friend, and good partner," Wang said he hopes to deepen cooperation with the central Asian country in sectors like culture, media, and tourism.

On his part, Kazakbaev thanked China for its support in the country's fight against the coronavirus.

He said Kyrgyzstan supports China on core issues, including Xinjiang, Hong Kong, and Taiwan-related issues, adding that his country opposes external interference of any kind in China's internal affairs.

The two officials signed documents on cooperation between the two countries' foreign ministries after the meeting. 

(Cover: Chinese State Councilor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi (R) meets his Kyrgyz counterpart Ruslan Kazakbaev at the sidelines of the second China + Central Asia (C+C5) foreign ministers meeting in Xi'an, northwest China, May 11, 2021. /Chinese Foreign Ministry)