China, Kazakhstan both contributors to SCO development: ambassador

Both China and Kazakhstan are active advocates and promoters of and contributors to the development of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) and the cooperation within the framework of the SCO, said the Chinese Ambassador to Kazakhstan in an interview prior to President Xi Jinping's attendance of a SCO meeting in Kazakhstan.

From July 2 to 6, Xi will attend the 24th Meeting of the Council of Heads of State of the SCO in Astana, Kazakhstan, and pay state visits to Kazakhstan and Tajikistan at the invitation of Kazakh President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev and Tajik President Emomali Rahmon.

"Both China and Kazakhstan are founding members of the SCO and active advocates, promoters of and contributors to the SCO's development and the cooperation in various fields. Over the years, the two countries have worked closely to ensure that the SCO remains true to its original mission, and actively responded to changes in the international situation and the cooperation needs of its member states. They have vigorously deepened mutually beneficial cooperation in trade, transport, energy, agriculture, science and technology, education, culture and other fields, and promoted sustained and high-quality development of the Belt and Road. They have constantly contributed to building an open, inclusive, clean and beautiful world of lasting peace, universal security and common prosperity," said Zhang Xiao, the ambassador, in the interview with China Global Television Network (CGTN).

The SCO is an important platform for joint construction of the Belt and Road, and the Shanghai Spirit and the Silk Road spirit are in the same vein from the perspective of their core values, he said.

"In recent years, the joint construction of Belt and Road has been repeatedly written into the declaration of the SCO summit and other relevant documents, and there has been close policy coordination on joint construction of the Belt and Road. The SCO has established a sound security cooperation mechanism, including combating the three evil forces of terrorism, separatism and extremism, dealing with transnational organized crimes and controlling drugs, setting up a solid security barrier for cooperation in joint construction of the Belt and Road. The SCO member states are committed to cooperation in science and technology, culture, education, tourism, sanitation and other fields, which has also laid a solid people-to-people foundation for cooperation in joint construction of the Belt and Road," the ambassador said.

"I would like to point out in particular that practical cooperation within the SCO has not only promoted economic development and improved the people's livelihood in all countries, but also provided important support for continuous upgrading of the joint construction of the Belt and Road. For example, the SCO member states signed an intergovernmental agreement on international road transportation facilitation, creating important conditions for deepening regional connectivity and promoting regional economic integration. Member states have formulated the program of multilateral economic and trade cooperation, which has promoted the level of trade liberalization and facilitation among countries in the region, stimulated the emergence of new trade forms and models, and deepened practical cooperation within the SCO, providing continuous impetus for high-quality Belt and Road cooperation," he said.

"The upcoming summit in Astana will make new planning for the SCO's development and cooperation in various fields, and will also provide new opportunities for the SCO to participate in high-quality Belt and Road cooperation in a more pragmatic and efficient manner, thus contributing more SCO strength to regional security, stability, development and revitalization," Zhang said.

China, Kazakhstan both contributors to SCO development: ambassador

China and Kazakhstan have witnessed an upsurge in people-to-people and cultural exchanges in recent years, a development that Chinese President Xi Jinping hailed in a signed article published in Kazakh media outlets prior to his visit to the central Asian country.

Xi arrived for a state visit to Kazakhstan on Tuesday, where he will also attend the 24th Meeting of the Council of Heads of State of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO).

On the same day, the signed article from the Chinese president was published in the Kazakhstanskaya Pravda newspaper and Kazinform International News Agency under the title "Staying True to Our Shared Commitment and Opening a New Chapter in China-Kazakhstan Relations."

In the article, Xi highlighted the enduring friendship between the Chinese and Kazakh peoples, citing an example involving Chinese musician Xian Xinhai and Kazakh composer Bakhytzhan Baikadamov.

Over 80 years ago, Xian and Baikadamov met and became close and devoted friends despite their different nationalities and languages.

"In 1943, my father happened to meet Xian Xinghai, who was sitting on a box holding a violin. Seeing how helpless and homeless Xian was, my father took his hand and brought him home," Baikadamova's daughter Baldyrgan said.

Xi also mentioned the much-respected Kazakh ophthalmologist Saulebek Kabibekov, who treated more than 200,000 patients during his 25-year stay in northeastern China.

There was also a nod to the hugely popular Kazakh singer Dimash Kudaibergen, who took China by storm after he won the second place in a popular reality singing competition, "Singer 2017", and later had the chance to meet Xi.

"I first met President Xi in 2017. After the performance, he came to me and told me about his impressions [of] my work and musical journey in China. Since then, I've been exploring Chinese culture and history which, of course, has inspired me infinitely," said Kudaibergen.

People-to-people exchanges between the two countries have also become more frequent since mutual visa-exemption arrangements took effect last year, facilitating greater travel between the two sides.

Last year, a total of 600,000 cross-border trips were recorded. In the first quarter of 2024, the number of visits in both directions had already amounted to 200,000 and are expected to reach a new high by the end of the year.

China, Kazakhstan see upsurge in people-to-people, cultural exchanges