Politics
21:02, 22-Nov-2018
President Xi Jinping calls on China, Kazakhstan to align development plans
Updated
20:20, 25-Nov-2018
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01:03
China and Kazakhstan should align the Silk Road Economic Belt with Kazakhstan's Nurly Zhol (Bright Path) economic program, making better plans for cooperation in all areas, Chinese President Xi Jinping said when meeting with Kazakh Prime Minister Bakytzhan Sagintayev on Thursday in Beijing.
The Silk Road Economic Belt is part of the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) proposed by Xi in 2013, along with the 21st-century Maritime Silk Road. The initiative aims to build trade and infrastructure networks connecting Asia with Europe and Africa along and beyond the ancient Silk Road routes.
The Nurly Zhol (Bright Path) economic program was proposed by Kazakh President Nursultan Nazarbayev, which lays great emphasis on infrastructure construction.
China appreciates Kazakhstan's firm support for and active participation in the Belt and Road cooperation, Xi told Sagintayev, noting that there is great potential for the two countries to expand cooperation under the initiative.
"This year marks the fifth anniversary of the Belt and Road Initiative which I proposed. The initiative has brought prosperity to countries along the routes, while injecting new impetus into world economic development," Xi added.
The Chinese president said he has maintained close interactions with his Kazakh counterpart Nazarbayev, and has reached lots of consensuses with the Kazakh president. "These consensuses have been well implemented," Xi noted.
He said that as a friendly neighbor and comprehensive strategic partner, China attaches great importance to its relations with Kazakhstan and supports the country in choosing a development path suitable to its national conditions.
Sagintayev conveyed sincere greetings of Nazarbayev to President Xi and said that Kazakhstan thinks highly of the initiative of the Silk Road Economic Belt proposed by Xi five years ago.
"President Xi compared China's economy to the sea and the ship of cooperation between the two countries will sail further in the sea," he said.