Kyrgyzstan-China ties at the highest level in history: Kyrgyz president

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The relations between Kyrgyzstan and China are at the highest level in history, Kyrgyz President Sooronabay Jeenbekov said before leaving for his state visit to China.

Xinhua reported on Tuesday that before his departure for China, Jeenbekov received an inclusive interview with Chinese media, saying he attaches great importance to the bilateral ties, and hopes this visit will further advance the relationship.

November 24, 2017: Kyrgyz President-elect Sooronbay Jeenbekov (L) shakes hands with former president Almazbek Atambayev during an inauguration ceremony at the Ala-Archa state residence outside Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan. /VCG Photo

The president's state visit to China from June 6 to 10 is his first visit to the country since his inauguration as president in November 2017.

During his stay in China, Jeenbekov will also attend the 18th Meeting of Council of Heads of States of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) summit.

Backgrounder: basic facts about China-Kyrgyzstan relationship

China and Kyrgyzstan established diplomatic relations on January 5, 1992.

The two countries uplifted their relations to a strategic partnership in 2013, when Chinese President Xi Jinping paid a state visit to Kyrgyzstan and attended a summit of the SCO in the capital city Bishkek.

May 16, 2017: Chinese President Xi Jinping (R) meets with Kyrgyz President Almazbek Atambayev in Beijing, China. /Xinhua Photo

Xi held talks with his then Kyrgyz counterpart Almazbek Atambayev, and the two signed and issued a joint declaration on the establishment of a strategic partnership between China and Kyrgyzstan, taking the bilateral relationship to a new level.

Business cooperation between the two countries has been carried out smoothly in recent years. According to China's foreign ministry, China has become Kyrgyzstan's largest trading partner and is its second largest source of investment.

Stats show in 2017, the bilateral trade volume between the two countries reached nearly 5.45 billion US dollars, among which the imports to China from Kyrgyzstan stood at 87 million US dollars, up 22.2 percent from a year ago.

The central Asian country plays an important role in the Silk Road Economic Belt and is a vital supporter of the China-proposed Belt and Road Initiative (BRI).

February 22, 2017: Chinese Culture Day at International Ataturk Alatoo University in Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan. /VCG Photo‍

As a result of the cooperation based on the BRI, several Chinese companies are engaging in infrastructure construction in Kyrgyzstan, including projects like the North-South motor road and the China-Kyrgyzstan-Uzbekistan Railway, which bear great strategic importance to the country.

Apart from trade and economic cooperation, cultural and people-to-people exchanges have also borne fruits in the bilateral ties.

So far, there are four Confucius Institutes in Kyrgyzstan and thousands of students in the country are learning the Chinese language. More and more Kyrgyz youth are also choosing to study in China.

(With inputs from Xinhua)