(Xinhua)
Updated: 2007-08-15 06:55

BISHKEK -- Chinese President Hu Jintao arrived in Bishkek on Tuesday at the beginning of a state visit to the Central Asian nation of Kyrgyzstan, where he will also attend a summit of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO).

In a written statement issued upon arrival, Hu said China and Kyrgyzstan are linked by common mountains and rivers and the friendship between the two peoples dates back to hundreds of years ago.

Fruitful results have been scored in bilateral cooperation in political, economic, security and other areas since the two countries established diplomatic ties 15 years ago, Hu said.

The two countries have offered mutual support on issues concerning their sovereignty and territorial integrity, thus safeguarding their common interests and guaranteeing the smooth development of bilateral ties, Hu said.

Hu said he and Kyrgyz President Kurmanbek Bakiyev would focus their talks on reviewing the past development of friendly relations between their two countries and mapping out the future of China-Kyrgyzstan ties. "We will also exchange views on a number of regional and global issues of common interest," he said.

During his stay here, Hu will also attend the annual SCO summit, at which leaders of the member states will discuss the organization's achievements since the 2006 Shanghai summit and work out plans for future cooperation on security, economy and foreign affairs.

A series of economic and other documents are expected to be signed at the summit.

Leaders of the six member countries of the SCO -- China, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Russia, Tajikistan and Uzbekistan -- will sign a long-term good-neighbor treaty of friendship and cooperation at the summit, Chinese Assistant Foreign Minister Li Hui told a press briefing earlier.

"The treaty will confirm the SCO spirits of pursuing peace and friendship for generations to come in the form of a legal document, which is of great significance to mutual trust and mutually beneficial cooperation in Central Asia," Li said.

The SCO, founded in Shanghai in 2001, pledges to enhance security, trade, cultural, military and judicial cooperation among member countries.

Kyrgyzstan is the first leg of Hu's three-nation tour. He will also observe a joint anti-terror drill in Russia along with the other SCO leaders and visit Kazakhstan.