On May 19, 2014, President Xi Jinping held talks with President Nursultan Nazarbayev of Kazakhstan in Shanghai. The two heads of state made in-depth exchanges of views on China-Kazakhstan relations as well as international and regional topics of common interest. They agreed that the development strategies of the two countries will be tied in with each other to elevate the level of bilateral strategic cooperation, joining the efforts to promote the development of the Conference on Interaction and Confidence Building Measures in Asia (CICA) and to safeguard the security and stability in the region.
Xi Jinping expressed, China-Kazakhstan relations now enjoy a smooth development, with the political mutual trust and cooperation in various fields reaching an unprecedented high level. The consensus we reached last year are being implemented effectively. As this year marks the starting year for both China's comprehensively deepening reforms and Kazakhstan's advancement of its 2050 Strategy, the complementary and mutually beneficial bilateral cooperation enjoys a promising prospect. Both sides should well implement the mid-and-long-term development plans for economic and trade cooperation and scale up the bilateral trade and investment. China welcomes Kazakhstan to actively participate in the construction of China (Shanghai) Pilot Free Trade Zone. Hope that both sides could comprehensively deepen energy and resources cooperation and boost cooperation in agriculture, telecommunications, innovative industries, high-technology and other fields. Taking the opportunity of jointly forming the outlines of the planning for the cooperation in the adjacent areas of the two countries, the cooperation at local level should be pushed forward and people-to-people and cultural exchanges should be intensified. China is willing to enhance cooperation with the Kazakh side in combating the "three evil forces", drug trafficking, cyber and information security and other fields. The international and regional situation now goes complex and changing. China and Kazakhstan should strengthen the coordination and cooperation within the framework of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO), working together to safeguard the security and stability in the region.
Nursultan Nazarbayev expressed that Kazakhstan and China share common grounds in quite a number of major issues. Both sides uphold the principle that all countries have the rights to choose their own development path conform to their national conditions. Kazakhstan is firmly committed to developing Kazakhstan-China comprehensive strategic partnership and is with high hopes to deepen bilateral practical cooperation. The Kazakh side is willing to provide strong energy support to China's economic development and welcomes China to expand investment in the non-resource sector of the country and to optimize the bilateral trade structure. Kazakhstan supports and takes active part in the construction of the Silk Road Economic Belt and to mobilize the cooperation in economy and trade, the infrastructure construction such as transportation and ports, and finance. Kazakhstan stands ready to enhance counter-terrorism cooperation with China and to jointly promote the development of the SCO, so as to effectively cope with various threats and challenges.
Xi Jinping said, the Shanghai Summit of CICA will open tomorrow, and leaders from many countries and international organizations will be present. It fully indicates that the parties concerned attach more importance to this platform and pay more attention to the security in Asia. As a platform initiated by President Nursultan Nazarbayev over 20 years ago, the CICA is now still of great significance for the Asia today. China is willing to work together with all sides concerned to ensure the success of the Summit for a promising future of the CICA.
Nursultan Nazarbayev said that the CICA will be relayed to China. It is believed that China taking the presidency will bring greater development of the CICA. He wished the Shanghai Summit a success.
The two heads of state signed the Joint Declaration Between the People's Republic of China and the Republic of Kazakhstan, and witnessed together the signing of the cooperative documents covering energy, investment, financing and other fields.
The two heads of state were also present at the remote operation ceremony of a joint logistics terminal project in Lianyungang City. After listening to the online video reports from the heads of both sides of the project, Xi Jinping and Nursultan Nazarbayev jointly started the control system, indicating the formal operation of the project.
Following the talks, at the witness of Xi Jinping, Nursultan Nazarbayev received the Silk Road Peace Prize. As initiated by Chinese civil sectors, selected by all circles of society, and presented by the Committee of Silk Road Peace Prize, the prize aims to carry forward the spirit of Silk Road and commend organizations and personnel from various countries who made great contributions to maintaining world peace, and promoting regional stability and national reconciliation.
Prior to the talks, Xi Jinping held a welcoming ceremony for Nursultan Nazarbayev at the Square of Xijiao State Guest Hotel Conference Center in Shanghai.
Wang Huning, Li Zhanshu, Han Zheng, Yang Jiechi and others were present at the above-mentioned activities.