Chinese President Xi Jinping and Kazakh President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev on Wednesday hailed the next three golden decades of China-Kazakhstan relations and pledged to expand cooperation for common development.

During his meeting with Tokayev, who began a state visit to China in Xian earlier in the day, Xi said China and Kazakhstan are trustworthy good friends, brothers and partners.

Noting that China is advancing the rejuvenation of the Chinese nation through a Chinese path to modernization and that Kazakhstan is building a fast-growing and thriving "new Kazakhstan," Xi said both countries are at a critical stage of development and revitalization.

China-Kazakhstan relations have entered the next three golden decades, Xi said, adding that the two sides should vigorously carry forward the traditional friendship, firmly support each other, deepen mutually beneficial cooperation, pursue development and rejuvenation and build a China-Kazakhstan community with a shared future, featuring everlasting friendship, strong mutual trust and solidarity.

An independent, stable, secure and prosperous Kazakhstan is in line with the interests of the peoples of the two countries, said Xi. 

He said the Chinese side firmly supports Kazakhstan's national sovereignty, independence and territorial integrity and voiced support for Kazakhstan's development path that suits its national conditions. 

Since the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) was proposed 10 years ago, the two countries have successfully carried out dozens of major cooperation projects, bringing benefits to the two peoples and promoting common development, said Xi. 

He called on the two sides to expand cooperation in economy and trade, investment, agriculture and energy, deepen connectivity, advance rail-sea combined transportation and expand cooperation in new areas, such as e-commerce, innovation and big data. 

Xi urged efforts to mutually establish cultural centers and open the Luban Workshop and take the signing of the mutual visa exemption agreement as an opportunity to strengthen cultural and people-to-people exchanges and cooperation. 

He called for strengthening media exchanges and cooperation to jointly tell the story of the China-Kazakhstan friendship well. 

The China-Central Asia mechanism aims to focus on the current needs and future development of all countries, strengthen mutually beneficial cooperation, and promote common prosperity, Xi said.

Hailing the milestone significance of the upcoming China-Central Asia Summit, he said it will push China-Central Asia cooperation into a new era. 

China is willing to work with Kazakhstan and other countries in Central Asia to jointly build the China-Central Asia mechanism into an important platform for promoting in-depth cooperation among the six countries, Xi said.

Tokayev said he agreed with Xi's views on Kazakhstan-China relations and his suggestions on further strengthening bilateral cooperation.

China has special significance in Kazakhstan's foreign policy, he said, adding that bilateral relations are based on deep friendship and solid mutual trust, sharing common goals and tasks. 

The Kazakh side is willing to work with China to further enhance the Kazakhstan-China permanent comprehensive strategic partnership and expand cooperation to lay a more solid foundation for the next three golden decades of the two countries.

Tokayev said the BRI is a great initiative, and Kazakhstan will continue to participate in it.

He acknowledged the three initiatives put forward by President Xi amid the complex international situation, namely the Global Development Initiative, the Global Security Initiative and the Global Civilization Initiative, hold great significance, and voiced his support of more communication and coordination with China.

After the meeting, the two heads of state signed a joint statement and jointly witnessed the signing of a series of bilateral cooperation documents in economy and trade, energy, transportation, agriculture, connectivity, cultural and people-to-people exchanges.