From 5 to 7 February 2025, President of the Kyrgyz Republic Sadyr Japarov paid a state visit to the People’s Republic of China, during which he met with President Xi Jinping in Beijing. The visit was marked by the signing of important agreements and strengthening bilateral cooperation in various fields.
Perhaps the most significant moment of the high-level meeting was the signing of the Joint Statement on Deepening the Comprehensive Strategic Partnership. “The parties highly appreciated the results of bilateral relations development since the signing of the ‘Joint Declaration of the Kyrgyz Republic and the People’s Republic of China on Establishing a Comprehensive Strategic Partnership in the New Era’ in May 2023, and unanimously agreed to use this as a basis for further deepening the comprehensive strategic partnership between Kyrgyzstan and China,” notes the press service of the President of Kyrgyzstan.
President Xi Jinping emphasized that President Japarov became the first foreign leader welcomed in China during the celebration of the traditional Spring Festival, which lasts during the first month of the lunar calendar.
Following the summit talks, Xi and Japarov witnessed the signing of more than 20 documents aimed at strengthening bilateral cooperation.
These documents cover a wide range of cooperation domains, addressing topics such as establishing a strategic dialogue mechanism at the foreign ministries level, aligning the Belt and Road Initiative with Kyrgyzstan’s national development program, initiating negotiations on the Agreement on Trade in Services and Investment, strengthening investment cooperation in minerals used in clean energy technologies, digitalization and artificial intelligence, poverty reduction, and alternative energy.
Kyrgyzstan has secured significant investment and trade agreements with China. Among the key deals are investment contracts with Shenzhen Energy Group Co., Ltd. to build two 300 MW power plants, one wind and one solar.
Substantial progress has also been made in agricultural cooperation. Protocols have been signed to streamline the export of Kyrgyz agricultural products, such as beans and poultry, to China. Furthermore, investment in the Kyrgyz-Chinese modern agricultural industry demonstration park project has been increased from $260 million to $410 million, and will include the construction of a mineral fertilizer production plant.
A business meeting organized by the National Investment Agency resulted in the signing of 19 documents totaling over $700 million. The event saw participation from more than 100 entrepreneurs from both Kyrgyzstan and China, representing a variety of economic sectors.
In the political sphere, Kyrgyzstan and China confirmed mutual support on fundamental issues. Japarov assured Xi of Kyrgyzstan’s support for China’s Belt and Road Initiative and confirmed Kyrgyzstan’s commitment to China’s Global Development, Global Security, and Global Civilization initiatives. He also noted the importance of the “China – Central Asia” regional cooperation format and supported the initiative to establish its Secretariat.
In turn, the Chinese leader expressed confidence that Kyrgyzstan, under the leadership of Sadyr Japarov, has chosen an independent and distinctive path of development consistent with its national interests.
Signed documents
– Joint Statement/Declaration of the Kyrgyz Republic and the People’s Republic of China on deepening comprehensive strategic partnership in a new era;
– A program of cooperation between the Cabinet of Ministers of the Kyrgyz Republic and the Government of the People’s Republic of China to jointly promote the construction of the One Belt and One Road Initiative and the national development program until 2026;
– Agreement on social Insurance;
– Exchange of letters between the Cabinet of Ministers of the Kyrgyz Republic and the Government of the People’s Republic of China on the feasibility study of a project to create an information system for the judicial system of the Kyrgyz Republic as part of the assistance of the People’s Republic of China;
– Exchange of letters between the Cabinet of Ministers of the Kyrgyz Republic and the Government of the People’s Republic of China on the implementation of the laboratory assistance project;
– Exchange of letters between the Cabinet of Ministers of the Kyrgyz Republic and the Government of the People’s Republic of China on the project of supplying medical equipment to the Osh Hospital and the Presidential Hospital as part of the PRC assistance;
– Memorandum of Understanding between the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Kyrgyz Republic and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the People’s Republic of China on the establishment of a mechanism for Strategic dialogue at the level of the Ministries of Foreign Affairs of the two countries;
– Memorandum of Understanding between the Ministry of Economy and Commerce of the Kyrgyz Republic and the Ministry of Culture and Tourism of the People’s Republic of China on facilitating group trips between the two countries;
– Memorandum of Understanding and Cooperation between the Ministry of Economy and Commerce of the Kyrgyz Republic and the State Committee for Development and Reform of the People’s Republic of China in the field of economic development and reforms;
– Memorandum of Understanding between the Ministry of Economy and Commerce of the Kyrgyz Republic and the State Agency for International Development and Cooperation of the People’s Republic of China to promote development and cooperation in the construction of infrastructure checkpoints on the Kyrgyz-Chinese border;
– Joint statement between the Ministry of Economy and Commerce of the Kyrgyz Republic and the Ministry of Commerce of the People’s Republic of China on the start of negotiations on an Agreement on Trade in Services and Investments between the Kyrgyz Republic and the People’s Republic of China;
– Memorandum of Understanding between the Ministry of Digital Development of the Kyrgyz Republic and the State Data Administration under the State Committee for Development and Reform of the People’s Republic of China on strengthening cooperation in the field of digital economy;
– Memorandum of Understanding on expanding cooperation in the field of artificial intelligence between the Ministry of Digital Development of the Kyrgyz Republic and the State Committee for Development and Reform of the People’s Republic of China;
– Memorandum of Understanding between the Ministry of Natural Resources, Ecology and Technical Supervision of the Kyrgyz Republic and the Ministry of Commerce of the People’s Republic of China on strengthening investment cooperation in the field of minerals used in clean energy technologies;
– Memorandum of Cooperation between the Ministry of Labor, Social Security and Migration of the Kyrgyz Republic and the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs of the People’s Republic of China in the field of poverty reduction;
– Protocol on Phytosanitary Requirements for the Export of Beans from the Kyrgyz Republic to the People’s Republic of China between the Ministry of Water Resources, Agriculture and Processing Industry of the Kyrgyz Republic and the General Administration of Customs of the People’s Republic of China;
– Protocol between the Ministry of Water Resources, Agriculture and Processing Industry of the Kyrgyz Republic and the General Administration of Customs of the People’s Republic of China on inspection, quarantine and veterinary and sanitary requirements for washed wool and cashmere exported from the Kyrgyz Republic to the People’s Republic of China;
– Protocol between the Ministry of Water Resources, Agriculture and Processing Industry of the Kyrgyz Republic and the General Administration of Customs of the People’s Republic of China on Inspection, Quarantine and sanitary requirements for poultry meat exported from the Kyrgyz Republic to the People’s Republic of China;
– Memorandum of Understanding on cooperation in the field of poverty reduction through science and technology between the Ministry of Education and Science of the Kyrgyz Republic and the Ministry of Science and Technology of the Government of the People’s Republic of China;
– Memorandum of Understanding between the State Agency for Architecture, Construction, Housing and Communal Services under the Cabinet of Ministers of the Kyrgyz Republic and the Ministry of Housing, Urban and Rural Construction of the People’s Republic of China on strengthening cooperation in housing and urban development;
– Memorandum of Understanding between the National Institute for Strategic Initiatives under the President of the Kyrgyz Republic and the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences;
– Memorandum on deepening cooperation between NTRK and China Media Group;
– Memorandum between the Office of the Plenipotentiary Representative of the President of the Kyrgyz Republic in Naryn Region and the People’s Government of Heilongjiang Province of China on the establishment of friendly relations and the development of practical cooperation. ///nCa, 7 February 2025 [photo credit – Xinhua]