Chinese President Hu Jintao said here Saturday China attached great importance to its relations with Kazakhstan and advancing bilateral relations was a priority.

During his talks with Kazakh President Nursultan Nazarbayev, Hu said China would continue to support Kazakhstan in choosing its own development route and formulating its own policy.

He said China supported Kazakhstan playing a greater role in regional and international affairs.

The two presidents witnessed the signing of a number of cooperation documents after the talks.

President Hu said, no matter what changes had occurred in the international situation since the two countries established diplomatic links 18 years ago, China-Kazakhstan relations had always maintained a momentum of rapid and healthy growth.

In order to further advance the strategic partnership with Kazakhstan, Hu put forward several proposals, including enhancing mutual trust through close high-level contact, expanding practical cooperation for mutual benefits, improving traditional friendship by increasing cultural exchanges, strengthening security cooperation to promote regional stability and stepping up cooperation in multilateral frameworks to safeguard common interests.

Hu said China would actively participate in joint anti-terror military exercises by members of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) in Kazakhstan this year. China would step up security cooperation with Kazakhstan on the international occasions of the Shanghai World Expo, the Asian Games in Guangzhou and the Winter Asian Games in Almaty.

Hu said, with the joint efforts of China, Kazakhstan and other parties, the SCO summit in Uzbekistan capital Tashkent ended with a success.

He expected the SCO to successfully celebrate its 10th anniversary and expand cooperation to a new level during Kazakhstan's tenure as the presiding country.

Hu said China would spare no efforts in supporting Kazakhstan in performing the duty of a presiding country.

President Nazarbayev said the frequent visits that President Hu made to Kazakhstan reflected the high level of bilateral relations.

Hu has visited Kazakhstan six times. The current visit is his second in six months. Hu visited Kazakhstan last December, and attended the completion ceremony of the China-Kazakhstan natural gas pipeline, together with President Nazarbayev in Astana.

Nazarbayev said Hu's visit and the consensus the two heads of state reached were of historic significance and reflected the friendship of the two neighbors.

The establishment of diplomatic relations between the two countries 18 years ago marked the beginning of a phase of rapid growth in their bilateral ties.

He expressed a readiness to advance bilateral links to a higher level.

Nazarbayev said Kazakhstan would work actively to promote cooperation among SCO members during its term as president. He said Kazakhstan would host the SCO summit next year and make it a big event of unity, mutual trust and common development.

Hu flew to Astana on Friday from Tashkent, where he paid a state visit and attended an SCO summit.