Xi Jinping says China is ready to develop comprehensive strategic cooperative partnership with Tajikistan in new era

DUSHANBE, July 5 (Xinhua) — China is ready to further develop the comprehensive strategic cooperative partnership with Tajikistan in the new era, Chinese President Xi Jinping said Friday.

Xi made the remarks during his talks with Tajik President Emomali Rahmon, expressing his joy at meeting his old friend President Rahmon again.

Five years after his last visit, Xi said he saw an even more prosperous Tajikistan this time.

As a friendly neighbor and comprehensive strategic partner, China truly welcomes this, Xi said, expressing confidence that under Rahmon’s leadership, Tajikistan will surely achieve various national development goals it has set.

Building a China-Tajikistan community with a shared future featuring eternal friendship, solidarity and mutual benefit is a political decision jointly made by the two presidents. It conforms to the trend of the times and the common interests of the two countries and two peoples, Xi said.

Under the new circumstances, China is willing to work with Tajikistan to develop a comprehensive strategic cooperative partnership in the new era and build the China-Tajikistan community with a shared future from a higher starting point, he said.

Noting that China will remain committed to promoting friendship and mutually beneficial cooperation with Tajikistan, Xi said China will firmly support Tajikistan in pursuing a development path suited to its national conditions, firmly support Tajikistan’s efforts to safeguard its independence, sovereignty and territorial integrity, and firmly support various political arrangements and development measures in Tajikistan proposed by President Rahmon.

China firmly opposes any interference in Tajikistan’s internal affairs under any pretext by any external forces. No matter how the international situation changes, China will always be a trustworthy friend, reliable partner and close brother of Tajikistan, he said.

During the talks, Rahmon praised the fact that China and Tajikistan are friendly neighbors and loyal friends.

Rahmon said that under the strategic guidance of the two leaders, bilateral relations have maintained sound development in recent years, achieving positive results in various fields of cooperation and maintaining high-level communication and collaboration within multilateral institutions.

Rahmon stressed that the relations between Tajikistan and China are an exemplary model of international relations between nations.

Since the beginning of the new era, under the visionary and wise leadership of President Xi, China has made great development achievements, which have not only benefited the Chinese people but also made important contributions to regional and global peace and development, he said.

Strengthening the comprehensive strategic cooperative partnership with China in the new era is a priority policy direction of Tajikistan, Rahmon said, adding that the Tajik side firmly adheres to the one-China principle, opposes any form of “Taiwan independence” and firmly supports all efforts made by China to safeguard sovereignty and territorial integrity and realize national reunification.

Following the talks, the two leaders also jointly met the press.

Xi said the two sides agreed to focus on high-quality cooperation under the Belt and Road framework, comprehensively promote the synergy of the two countries’ development strategies and assist each other in their modernization efforts.

China is ready to import more quality products from Tajikistan and continuously improve the quality and scale of China-Tajikistan economic and trade cooperation, he said.

He also said that the two countries agreed to continue deepening cooperation in connectivity and help Tajikistan further exploit its potential in strengthening transit transport.

For his part, Rahmon said that Xi Jinping’s state visit to Tajikistan is an important milestone in the history of bilateral relations, which will inject new strong impetus into the development of the Tajikistan-China comprehensive strategic cooperative partnership in the new era.■