President Xi to make third visit to Kazakhstan this week
https://v.qq.com/txp/iframe/player.html?vid=d0510ycbson&width=500&height=375&auto=0Chinese President Xi Jinping will embark on a four-day trip to Kazakhstan on Wednesday, a senior official from the Foreign Ministry announced at a press briefing on Monday.
Assistant Minister of Foreign Affairs Li Huilai briefed the media on President Xi's state visit and attendance at the 17th meeting of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization Heads of State Council, and the opening ceremony of the Astana EXPO 2017.
Xi's third visit to Kazakhstan will help strengthen bilateral ties, Li said. "China attaches great importance to the development of bilateral relations, and is willing to better connect the Belt and Road Initiative with Kazakhstan’s Bright Road program," he said.
Li said, "President Xi Jinping will attend a series of state activities held by President Nazarbayev, which include a welcoming ceremony, large group and small group talks, a bilateral document signing ceremony and a joint press conference.
Chinese President Xi Jinping meets his Kazakh counterpart Nursultan Nazarbayev on the sidelines of the Belt and Road Forum on May 14 in Beijing.
"The two presidents will have in-depth talks on bilateral relations and joint efforts on the development of the Belt and Road Initiative. Talks will also look to strengthen cooperation on other international and regional issues of common interest.
"They will sign a China-Kazakhstan Joint Statement, while the two presidents will attend a video telecommunication event concerning Asia-Europe cross-border transportation, and will witness the achievements made by the two sides through routes across land and sea. The two sides will sign multiple important documents which will cover economy, trade, finance and energy projects."
Li Huilai also said President Xi Jinping's attendence at the opening ceremony of the 2017 World Expo in Astana represents China's major support of Kazakhstan's efforts in hosting the event. It also represents the importance and attention that China gives to international energy, particularly new energy. It will be the first time for a central Asian country to host the World Expo. The theme of this year's expo is "Future Energy".
Li Huilai added: "The Shanghai Cooperation Organization faces new opportunities and challenges. After this summit, China will take the rotating presidency of the SCO, and will host the summit of the SCO in 2018. And all sides have full expectations on the work of China as holding the upcoming presidency.
China hopes through the upcoming meeting, all sides will discuss measures to deepen cooperation under the new circumstances and encourage the SCO to play a greater role for maintaining regional peace and security, promoting prosperity and development and pushing forward a fair and equitable international order and achieve a new round of growth of SCO.
"President Xi and heads of state of other members will sign the Astana Declaration and issue a press communique for the summit and also sign a SCO Treaty on combating extremism, and also resolutions concerning admitting the membership of India and Pakistan."