Kyrgyz President Askar Akayev and visiting Chinese Foreign Minister Li Zhaoxing met in Bishkek Sunday to discuss relations between their two countries, calling for the further development of bilateral ties.

During the meeting, Li said China and Kyrgyzstan have forged closer relations, with political trust between the two countries deepened, cooperation in all fields expanded, mutual support in international affairs enjoyed and border issues fully solved.

Li thanked Kyrgyzstan for its consistent support for China on the issues of Taiwan, Tibet and the fight against "East Turkistan" group. The Chinese foreign minister pledged that China would consistently back Kyrgyzstan's efforts to safeguard its national sovereignty and security and to promote its economic development.

Speaking highly of the good-neighborly treaty of friendship and cooperation signed in June of last year between the two countries, Li said the treaty provided the legal basis and set the direction for the development of bilateral relations.

Li said that China is willing to implement the treaty earnestly along with the Kyrgyz side so as to deepen the good-neighborly friendship relations between the two countries in various fields.

For his part, Akayev told Li that the good-neighborly friendship treaty signed by the two countries laid solid foundation for the development of bilateral ties oriented to the 21st century and the cooperation between the two countries in the fields of counter-terrorism, justice and culture is very effective.

Akayev thanked China for its economic assistance to his country, saying that he would like to see bilateral trade and economic cooperation will be expanded in the future.

Since 1998, China has become the second biggest trading partner of Kyrgyzstan. Last year, bilateral trade volume reached US$200 million. Some big Chinese state-owned enterprises have invested in the country, opening up a new chapter in Sino-Kyrgyz economic cooperation.

The president spoke highly of the cooperation between the two sides in the framework of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO). He expressed the hope, the organization, with the efforts from Kyrgyzstan, China and other members, will continue to play an important role in safeguarding regional peace and stability.

The Chinese foreign minister arrived here on Saturday for a two-day visit following a visit to Uzbekistan. He will fly home after his visit to Kyrgyzstan.

(Xinhua News Agency September 8, 2003)