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

MONDAY: China is ready to further develop the comprehensive strategic cooperative partnership in the new era with Tajikistan, 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.

A higher starting point

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.

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 to Tajikistan, Xi said.

During the talks, Rahmon hailed China and Tajikistan as friendly neighbors and loyal friends.

Noting that the relationship between Tajikistan and China can be considered a model for state-to-state relations, Rahmon said that strengthening the comprehensive strategic partnership with China in the new era is a priority political direction for Tajikistan.

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.

Rahmon reiterated 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.

Synergy of development strategies

China is willing to exchange and share development experience and opportunities with Tajikistan while advancing the synergy of their development strategies, Xi Jinping told Rahmon on Friday.

Xi stressed that China is ready to jointly promote high-quality cooperation with Tajikistan under the framework of the Belt and Road Initiative.

China is also willing to work with Tajikistan to improve the quality and scale of economic and trade cooperation, optimize connectivity cooperation, deepen agricultural cooperation, expand cooperation in critical mineral resources as well as in such areas as new energy, digital economy, artificial intelligence, e-commerce, and help Tajikistan develop a modern industrial system, Xi added.

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.

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

Tajikistan is ready to regard the implementation of the outcomes of Xi Jinping's visit as an important opportunity to further promote cooperation within the framework of the Belt and Road Initiative, deepen cooperation in connectivity, agriculture, critical minerals, new energy and other areas, so as to accelerate the country's industrialization and modernization, Rahmon said.

A joint initiative

The China-Central Asia mechanism is a joint initiative of the six countries, Xi noted, adding that China is ready to work with Tajikistan and other relevant parties to continuously improve and strengthen the China-Central Asia mechanism, and achieve more tangible results in China-Central Asia cooperation.

As developing countries, China and Tajikistan should work together with other countries of the South to strengthen solidarity and coordination, practice true multilateralism, promote an equal and orderly multipolar world and universally beneficial and inclusive economic globalization, and jointly build a community with a shared future for mankind, he said.

For his part, Rahmon said that in the face of the volatile international and regional situation, Tajikistan firmly supports and is ready to actively implement the series of global initiatives proposed by President Xi, closely coordinate and collaborate within multilateral frameworks such as the Shanghai Cooperation Organization, the China-Central Asia Mechanism and the United Nations, firmly support each other, practice true multilateralism, and jointly safeguard international fairness and justice as well as the common interests of developing countries.