President Hu Jintao arrived in Bishkek, capital of
Kyrgyzstan, on Tuesday for a state visit and a Shanghai Cooperation
Organization (SCO) summit.
This is President Hu's first state visit to Kyrgyzstan. Chinese
foreign ministry officials said?he would hold talks with
President Kurmanbek Bakiyev and meet other leaders of Kyrgyzstan to
exchange views on major issues of common concern.
The two sides will also sign a series of cooperation agreements
in such fields as politics, economy and trade, agriculture and
education, the officials said.
Since China and Kyrgyzstan established diplomatic ties 15 years
ago, bilateral relations have been developing smoothly,
with?Kyrgyzstan now China's?second largest trade partner
in central Asia.
In 2006, the China-Kyrgyzstan trade volume hit US$2.26 billion,
up 128.6 percent on the previous year. The trade volume for the
first half of this year has reached US$1.14 billion, up 73.5
percent on the same period of last year.
In addition to the 15th anniversary of the establishment of
diplomatic ties between,?President Hu's visit coincides with
the 5th anniversary of the signing of the China-Kyrgyzstan Friendly
Treaty on Good-Neighborly Cooperation, and thus is of great
significance, said Chinese Assistant Foreign Minister Li Hui at a
press briefing last Thursday.
"I believe President Hu's state visit to Kyrgyzstan will enhance
political mutual trust, promote practical cooperation, deepen
security coordination and expand practical exchanges," he said.
Following his state visit, President Hu will attend the SCO
summit slated for Thursday in Bishkek.
At the meeting, the leaders of the six member countries are
expected to discuss achievements by the organization since the 2006
Shanghai summit, and outline future cooperation in security,
economy and foreign affairs.
The leaders are expected to sign a long-term good-neighborly
treaty of friendship and cooperation and other important documents
at the end of the summit.
Founded in Shanghai in June 2001, the SCO groups China, Russia,
Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan and Uzbekistan. It has Mongolia,
Pakistan, Iran and India as observers.
Kyrgyzstan is the first leg of President Hu's three-nation trip.
He will observe a joint anti-terrorism drill, dubbed "Peace Mission
2007," in Chelyabinsk in Russia's Ural Mountains region, with
leaders of other SCO member states. He will then pay a state visit
to Kazakhstan.
The exercises, staged by the six member countries of the SCO,
was?carried out first in China's Urumqi, and then in
Chelyabinsk, from Aug. 9 to Aug. 17.
(Xinhua News Agency August 14, 2007)
