ASTANA, May 20 -- Kazakh President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev on Monday met here with Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi.

Tokayev asked Wang to convey his sincere greetings to Chinese President Xi Jinping, noting that China's international status continues to rise and its role in the world is increasingly significant. The country is making greater contributions to global peace and stability, and the international community is paying more attention to China's voice.

Kazakhstan firmly adheres to the one-China principle, a position that will never change as no country should be divided, Tokayev said, adding that Kazakhstan is a trustworthy partner for China, steadfastly supporting the Global Development Initiative, the Global Security Initiative and the Global Civilization Initiative proposed by Xi.

Tokayev said that Kazakhstan is willing to maintain close high-level exchanges with China, enhance the strategic alignment of the Belt and Road Initiative with the construction of the Middle Corridor, promote greater development in bilateral economic, trade, and cultural cooperation, and engage in closer and more efficient collaboration on international issues with China.

Wang, also a member of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China Central Committee, conveyed Xi's cordial greetings to Tokayev. He said that China and Kazakhstan -- connected by mountains and rivers -- are good neighbors, good friends who treat each other as equals and good partners with common goals.

China will continue to firmly support Kazakhstan in safeguarding its independence, sovereignty and territorial integrity, support President Tokayev's series of development strategies and important measures, and resolutely oppose any external forces interfering in Kazakhstan's internal affairs, Wang said.

China appreciates Kazakhstan's firm adherence to the one-China principle, which is especially important given the current situation in the Taiwan Strait, he noted.

China's development represents a growing peaceful force in the world, enhances stability and strengthens the capabilities of developing countries and emerging economies, Wang said, adding that China's development and revitalization will bring new opportunities to other countries including Kazakhstan.

Wang noted that in 2023, the leaders of the two countries jointly established the goal of building a China-Kazakhstan community with a shared future, setting a new benchmark for the development of bilateral relations, providing new momentum and opening up new prospects.

During Kazakhstan's historical process of building a New Kazakhstan, China is willing to be a reliable and long-term partner, supporting the diversification of Kazakhstan's economic development and promoting cooperation in emerging industries such as e-commerce, new energy and artificial intelligence, Wang said.

China is also willing to strengthen strategic coordination with Kazakhstan within multilateral frameworks such as the United Nations, the Shanghai Cooperation Organization, the China-Central Asia mechanism, and the Conference on Interaction and Confidence-Building Measures in Asia, Wang noted, adding that China is glad to see Kazakhstan playing a more significant role on the international and regional stages.

Wang also held talks with Kazakhstan's Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Murat Nurtleu, after which they jointly met the press.