China ready to work with Tajikistan to implement China-proposed initiatives

Chinese Premier Li Qiang meets with Tajik Prime Minister Kokhir Rasulzoda on the sidelines of the 22nd Meeting of the Council of Heads of Government of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) Member States in Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan, Oct. 26, 2023. (Xinhua/Liu Bin)

BISHKEK, Oct. 26 (Xinhua) -- Chinese Premier Li Qiang said here on Thursday that China is ready to work with Tajikistan to promote the implementation of the Global Development Initiative, the Global Security Initiative and the Global Civilization Initiative, so as to better meet global challenges and promote common development and prosperity.

Li made the remarks while meeting with Tajik Prime Minister Kokhir Rasulzoda on the sidelines of the 22nd Meeting of the Council of Heads of Government of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) Member States.

Li said that in recent years, under the strategic guidance of Chinese President Xi Jinping and Tajik President Emomali Rahmon, bilateral relations have become increasingly close and achieved fruitful cooperation results.

China is ready to work with Tajikistan to implement the important consensus reached by the two heads of state, take the building of a China-Tajikistan community with a shared future as the guide, further consolidate friendship and deepen mutual trust, continue to firmly support each other on issues concerning each other's core interests, push the comprehensive cooperation between the two countries to a new level, and better safeguard the strategic, security and development interests of the two countries, he said.

China is willing to strengthen the synergy of development strategies with Tajikistan, continue to advance high-quality Belt and Road cooperation, give full play to industrial complementarity, expand trade and investment, strengthen cooperation in such fields as transport infrastructure, civil aviation, green economy and digital economy, and deepen people-to-people and cultural exchanges in sports, culture, education and between regions to help the development and revitalization of the two countries, Li said.

The two sides, he added, should maintain close coordination in multilateral areas, implement the outcomes of the China-Central Asia Summit, strengthen cooperation within the United Nations, the SCO and other frameworks, uphold the common interests of the two countries and safeguard international equity and justice.

Chinese Premier Li Qiang meets with Tajik Prime Minister Kokhir Rasulzoda on the sidelines of the 22nd Meeting of the Council of Heads of Government of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) Member States in Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan, Oct. 26, 2023. (Xinhua/Yue Yuewei)

For his part, Rasulzoda said that Tajikistan-China relations have a long history, profound foundation and rich connotation.

Noting that Tajikistan appreciates China's strong support for its economic and social development over the years, he said that Tajikistan is willing to work with China to consolidate traditional friendship, promote the Belt and Road cooperation, deepen cooperation in such fields as industry, agriculture, transportation, energy, infrastructure and digital economy, and push for further in-depth development of bilateral relations.

Tajikistan stands ready to work with China to promote all-round cooperation between China and Central Asian countries, deepen coordination within the frameworks of the United Nations and the SCO, and promote regional peace and prosperity, he said.