President Xi Jinping (L front) is welcomed by Kazakhstan First Deputy Prime Minister Askar Mamin upon his arrival in Astana, Kazakhstan, June 7, 2017. [Photo/Xinhua]

Xi begins state visit to partner in Belt and Road

China and Kazakhstan will tap their great potential for cooperation, including jointly building the Belt and Road, President Xi Jinping wrote in a signed article on Wednesday.

The president arrived in Astana, capital of Kazakhstan on Wednesday. In a statement issued upon arrival, he said, "The Sino-Kazakh relationship has set an example of a friendly neighborhood, equal treatment and mutual benefits for the international community."

The two countries have strengthened political trust, pushed forward pragmatic cooperation in all areas steadily, and enhanced coordination in global and regional affairs in the past 25 years since the establishment of diplomatic relations, Xi said.

The four-day visit to Kazakhstan is Xi's third trip to the Central Asian country. During the stay he will also attend the Shanghai Cooperation Organization annual summit and the opening ceremony of the Astana Expo 2017.

Xi extended sincere greetings and best wishes to the Kazakh people. Xi also mentioned his frequent meetings in recent years with his Kazakh counterpart, Nursultan Nazarbayev, saying that the two presidents have developed good working relations as well as a personal friendship.

In the article published in the Kazakh newspaper Kazakhstanskaya Pravda on Wednesday, Xi said China will promote cooperation with Kazakhstan in jointly building the Belt and Road.

It was during his first visit to Kazakhstan back in 2013 that Xi proposed the Silk Road Economic Belt Initiative. Four years later, the idea that took root then has become a global public benefit.

"The general direction of the two countries' national development was determined during President Xi's visit to Kazakhstan in 2013, namely, the joint building of the Silk Road Economic Belt," Chinese Ambassador to Kazakhstan Zhang Hanhui said.

Sun Zhuangzhi, secretary-general of the SCO Research Center under the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences, said enhancing cooperation between the two countries as part of the Belt and Road Initiative will serve as a convincing model for other parties.