Xi meets Kyrgyz president

BEIJING -- Chinese President Xi Jinping met with Kyrgyz President Sooronbay Jeenbekov in Beijing on Sunday.

Noting that China-Kyrgyzstan relations have maintained a stable and healthy momentum of development, Xi said the Chinese side is committed to developing all-round friendly cooperation with the Kyrgyz side and supports the domestic and foreign policies pursued by the Kyrgyz government to safeguard national independence, sovereignty and security.

Kyrgyzstan was one of the first countries to support and participate in the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI). Xi said the two sides should strengthen the alignment of the BRI with Kyrgyzstan's 2040 National Sustainable Development Strategy.

The two sides should promote balanced development of trade, steadily advance industrial capacity cooperation, accelerate the implementation of key projects, strengthen people-to-people and cultural exchanges, comprehensively elevate security cooperation, and intensify the crackdown on the "three forces" of terrorism, separatism and extremism and cross-border organized crime, Xi said.

China fully supports Kyrgyzstan in hosting the Shanghai Cooperation Organization summit in Bishkek this year, Xi added.

Jeenbekov congratulated China on the successful hosting of the Second Belt and Road Forum for International Cooperation, saying that the outcome of this forum is of historic significance to the world.

Noting that China is Kyrgyzstan's staunch, reliable and good neighbor and strategic partner, Jeenbekov said the Kyrgyz side is ready to strengthen cooperation with China in economy, trade, investment, water conservancy, and transportation infrastructure construction, and work together to combat the "three forces."