On May 14, 2017, President Xi Jinping met at the Great Hall of the People with President Nursultan Nazarbayev of Kazakhstan, who was in China for the Belt and Road Forum for International Cooperation (BRF).

Xi Jinping pointed out that China-Kazakhstan relations have always enjoyed rapid development since the establishment of bilateral diplomatic relations 25 years ago. Both sides have intensified high-level exchanges, constantly consolidated political mutual trust and comprehensively advanced practical cooperation. China is willing to, together with Kazakhstan, take the 25th anniversary of the establishment of bilateral diplomatic relations to carry forward the spirit of good-neighborly friendship, enhance strategic coordination, deepen mutually beneficial cooperation, and jointly push forward China-Kazakhstan comprehensive strategic partnership towards a higher standard, a deeper level and a broader space. Both sides should strengthen cooperation in law enforcement and security and severely combat the “three evil forces”. China supports Kazakhstan in playing a greater role in international peace and security affairs, and is willing to, together with Kazakhstan, deepen cooperation within the frameworks of the UN, the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO), and the Conference on Interaction and Confidence Building Measures in Asia.

Xi Jinping stressed that during my visit to Kazakhstan in 2013, I put forward the initiative of building the Silk Road Economic Belt for the first time, and now the initiative has received active responses from over 100 countries and international organizations including Kazakhstan. Over the past 4 years, China and Kazakhstan have actively conducted cooperation centering on the joint construction of the “Belt and Road”, and explored cooperation potentials. Now the joint construction of the “Belt and Road” has entered into a new stage featuring in-depth integration and mutual promotion. The Chinese side is willing to, together with the Kazakh side, advance the “Belt and Road” construction, so as to bring more benefits to the two peoples.

Nursultan Nazarbayev congratulated the successful opening of the BRF, and expressed that President Xi Jinping’s keynote speech offers good answers to a great deal of major issues facing the current international community. Kazakhstan firmly supports the “Belt and Road” initiative, and actively integrates the “Belt and Road” with the “Bright Road” development strategy, and is willing to deepen bilateral practical cooperation in economy, trade, agriculture, mining industry, railways, science and technology within this framework. The Kazakh side stands ready to intensify cooperation in international and regional security and development with China, promote the stable development of the SCO and play a positive role in that process.

Wang Huning, Li Zhanshu, Yang Jiechi and others attended the meeting.