Top legislator Wu Bangguo met with Kazakhstan President Nursultan Nazarbayev in Beijing Thursday, calling for closer cooperation between the two legislatures.

 

"The two sides could learn from each other so as to boost the mutual understanding and friendship of the two peoples and provide legal guarantee for the bilateral cooperation," said Wu, chairman of the Standing Committee of the National People's Congress (NPC).

 

The NPC will go on developing multi-channel and multi-sphere cooperation with Kazakh parliament, Wu said.

 

Wu spoke highly of the development of China-Kazakhstan ties. He said the two sides have conducted fruitful cooperation on economy, energy, security, and humanities since the diplomatic ties was forged 15 years.

 

The two countries have cooperated well in the framework of the UN, the Shanghai Cooperation Organization and the Conference on Interaction and Confidence-Building Measures in Asia, said Wu.

 

China appreciates Kazakhstan's support on the Taiwan issue, the Tibet issue and combating East Turkestan, Wu said.

 

Nazarbayev said broad consensus has been reached on further deepening bilateral ties during his current visit to China.

 

The Kazakhstan-China Cooperation Strategy for the 21st Century signed on Decmeber 20 is an important guiding document, he said, adding Kazakh parliament will enhance cooperation with China's NPC so to inject vigor and vitality for the bilateral relations.

 

Nazarbayev was in Beijing for a five-day state visit, the first since he won a re-election last December. The visit will also take him to Hong Kong and Macao.

 

(Xinhua News Agency December 22, 2006)