Xi Jinping Meets with the First President of Kazakhstan Nursultan Nazarbayev

On April 28, 2019, President Xi Jinping met with the first President of Kazakhstan Nursultan Nazarbayev at the Great Hall of the People.

Xi Jinping emphasized that Mr. Nursultan Nazarbayev is the founding head of state and national leader of Kazakhstan, and has accomplished extraordinary feats in national independence and development of Kazakhstan as well as made historic contributions to the establishment and development of China-Kazakhstan comprehensive strategic partnership. China speaks highly of such gestures. Over the past 27 years, China-Kazakhstan relations have withstood the test of history and demonstrated strong vitality. The Chinese side firmly supports the independence, sovereignty, territorial integrity, social stability and economic development of Kazakhstan.

Xi Jinping stressed that as pioneers of the building of the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI), China and Kazakhstan should make further efforts to deepen the alignment of their development strategies, well implement the Cooperation Outline on Docking the Silk Road Economic Belt Construction and the New Economic Policy of the Bright Road, promote trade and investment facilitation, steadily advance production capacity cooperation and strengthen connectivity. The two countries should promote people-to-people and cultural exchanges, enhance cooperation at sub-national level, improve the level of security cooperation and continue to maintain close cooperation in international affairs. I am looking forward to establishing close working relations and friendship with President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev to achieve new progress in the bilateral relations.

Nursultan Nazarbayev said that this is the 19th meeting with my good friend and old friend President Xi Jinping, and I will cherish our profound friendship forever. China, a great country, is a partner that Kazakhstan can highly trust. Congratulating the 70th anniversary of the founding of the People's Republic of China, Nursultan Nazarbayev said that no other country in the world has made so great achievements in such a short period of time. China's development and the responsibility it shoulders have great significance on the world and humanity. Kazakhstan will remain consistent and stable in its internal and foreign policies after my resignation. The Kazakh side will continue to firmly advance Kazakhstan-China comprehensive strategic partnership. Kazakhstan congratulated the Chinese side on the successful hosting of the second Belt and Road Forum for International Cooperation. The Bright Road initiative of Kazakhstan has become an important part of the cooperation under the BRI. The Kazakh side is ready to deepen its cooperation with the Chinese side under the framework of the BRI and supports China's important proposals in international affairs, and supports the joint crackdown on the "three forces" of terrorism, separatism and extremism.

Ding Xuexiang, Yang Jiechi, Wang Yi and He Lifeng attended the meeting.