Chinese FM arrives in Kazakhstan to discuss bilateral relations

Alma-Ata, June 24 (Itar-Tass) - Chinese Foreign Minister Yang Jiechi will on Tuesday begin an official visit to Kazakhstan at the invitation of Kazakh Foreign Minister Marat Tazhin to discuss bilateral cooperation.

"The program of stay will include meetings with Kazakh leadership to
discuss a wide range of bilateral relations in the political, economic and
humanitarian spheres as well as the implementation of all the
previously-adopted high-level agreements," Yerzhan Ashikbayev, an official
spokesperson for the Kazakh Foreign Ministry, told Itar-Tass ahead of Yang
Jiechi's visit.

"The upcoming visit of the Chinese foreign minister will mark a
significant event in advancing the relations of strategic partnership
between Russia and Kazakhstan," Ashikbayev emphasized.

Chinese investments in Kazakhstan's economy surpassed $2.3 billion
between 1993 and 2007, more than 2,000 Chinese enterprises operate in
Kazakhstan. Kazakhstan is China's second largest partner after Russia
among East European countries and Central Asia nations, and is 30th among
the rest of China's partners.

Kazakhstan plans to increase its trade turnover with China to $15
billion by 2010, Karim Masimov, the prime minister of Kazakhstan, said in
his opening speech to the "Kazakhstan-China: partnership for success"
business forum in Astana in April 2008.

An action plan endorsed after the forum provides for cooperation in
more than 40 projects in the non-extractive sectors of the economy,
including the construction in Kazakhstan of plants producing
radio-electronic equipment, power plants, etc. Energy remains a vital area of bilateral cooperation.