Chinese President Hu Jintao's visit to Central Asia has been fruitful, Chinese Foreign Minister Yang Jiechi said Monday.

Hu has reached broad consensus with leaders of Central Asian countries on strengthening political mutual trust, deepening practical cooperation, and promoting communication and coordination in multilateral organizations, Yang told reporters.

CHINA-KAZAKHSTAN STRATEGIC PARTNERSHIP PROMOTED

During his visit to Kazakhstan, the Chinese leader reached agreement with his Kazakh counterpart, Nursultan Nazarbayev, on promoting the Sino-Kazakh strategic partnership, said Yang, who was accompanying Hu during his visit.

Hu made five proposals: strengthening political mutual trust, deepening cooperation in the energy sector and other sectors, enhancing financial cooperation, and expanding cultural cooperation.

Hu expressed China's willingness to work with Kazakhstan and support each other on issues concerning their core interests, and push forward practical cooperation in various areas.

Nazarbayev said he highly valued the important role of China's good neighborly foreign policy in promoting peace, security and development in Asia and the world.

The two leaders agreed to further promote practical cooperation between China and Kazakhstan in various fields, and strengthen cooperation in important organizations and frameworks such as the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) and the Conference on Interaction and Confidence-building Measures in Asia (CICA), Yang said.

Expanding cultural exchange was high on the agenda of Hu's visit, said Yang. Hu announced the doubling of the number of scholarships for Kazakh students to study in China from next year on, and agreed with Nazarbayev to increase cultural exchanges among the two peoples.

Both leaders attended the completion ceremony of the China-Kazakhstan natural gas pipeline, part of the China-Central Asia natural gas pipeline.

The two countries also signed a series of bilateral cooperation documents in finance, trade and energy.

Furthermore, the two sides agreed to speed up implementation of a 10-billion-U.S. dollar loan agreement between China and Kazakhstan.

CHINA-TURKMENISTAN COOPERATION ENHANCED

During his visit to Turkmenistan, Hu proposed enhancing pragmatic cooperation between the two countries, including the initiation of a mechanism of Sino-Turkmen cooperation commission, deepening cooperation in energy area and in other sectors, and implementing the agreed loan projects.

The Turkmen side welcomed Chinese investments in oil and gas, transportation and other sectors, and sees promising prospects in cooperation with China in areas of chemical industry, building materials, science and technology, culture and education.

Both sides agreed to enhance people-to-people contacts and exchanges.

Hu announced the doubling of the number of scholarships for Turkmen students to study in China.

Hu and his counterparts from Turkmenistan, Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan on Monday jointly put into operation the China-Central Asia natural gas pipeline near the Turkmen-Uzbek border linking the four nations.

Hu considered the pipeline a model of solidarity and mutually beneficial cooperation of the four countries. The four leaders believed that the pipeline would bring benefits to China and the Central Asian region.

Yang said the start-up of the pipeline indicates that cooperation between China and Turkmenistan has reached a new level.

SINO-UZBEK PARTNERSHIP ADVANCED

China sees Uzbekistan as an important cooperative partner in Central Asia and it is China's firm policy to safeguard and develop its relations with Uzbekistan, Yang said.

Hu met with Uzbek President Islam Karimov in Turkmenistan.

Hu said China is ready to work with Uzbekistan to ensure a safe and smooth operation of the China-Central Asia natural gas pipeline, and implement the agreements concerning the expansion of bilateral cooperation in oil and gas.

The Chinese leader said cooperation should be promoted particularly in the fields of economics and trade, transportation, telecommunications, light industry and agriculture. He also expected to see a full play of the role of the intergovernmental economic and trade cooperation commission.

Karimov spoke highly of the development of Uzbek-China ties, saying the development of bilateral ties is not only conducive to the two countries, but is also of great significance to maintaining peace and stability in the Central Asian region.

He hailed the effective measures China has adopted in response to the global financial crisis and China's important role in promoting the growth of the world economy.

Yang said mutual support in issues concerning each other's core interests is the important political basis for the development of China's relations with the three Central Asian countries.

Leaders from the three Central Asian nations reiterated their adherence to the one-China policy and voiced support for China's efforts to protect its sovereignty and territorial integrity.

They also vowed to work with China to strengthen security cooperation, both bilaterally and in the framework of the SCO, to fight terrorism, separatism and extremism, so as to safeguard security and stability and ensure common development and prosperity of the area.

Central Asian leaders also applauded China's major and active role in handling major international issues, and said they wished to advance cooperation with China in international and regional organizations.

Yang said China has been consistent in adopting a foreign policy of good neighborly relations. Under new circumstances, it is in the interests of both China and Central Asia to further deepen traditional friendship and boost mutually beneficial and pragmatic cooperation in a variety of fields.

President Hu's visit will surely have far-reaching effects on further developing the relations between China and Central Asian countries and boosting regional peace, stability and prosperity, Yang said.