Kazakhstan, China sign declaration on strategic partnership

ASTANA (Itar-Tass) - Kazakhstan and China have signed a
declaration on comprehensive strategic partnership after the talks between
the two countries leaders Nursultan Nazarbayev and Hu Jintao.
"China is Kazakhstan's leading investment partner. Last year's
bilateral trade exceeded 20 billion dollars. Last year China became number
one in export from Kazakhstan," Nazarbayev said before signing the
document on Monday.
Joint projects in energy, including the construction of the second
stage of the Kazakh-Chinese gas pipeline and an increase in the
Kazakhstan-China oil pipeline's throughput, are of strategic importance,
he said.
"This is enshrined in our declaration and we are entering a new level
of cooperation," Nazarbayev said.
"As a result of the visit Kazatomprom (state-run nuclear power
company) and the China National Nuclear Corporation signed an agreement on
strategic nuclear interaction. This year Kazakhstan will begin to supply
fuel pellets to China," the Kazakh leader said.
Moreover, the National Bank of Kazakhstan and the People's Bank of
China signed an agreement on currency exchange.
The two countries' governments sealed a deal on cooperation in
environmental protection.