ASTANA — China and Kazakhstan need to explore new growth areas and bright spots in cooperation to gear up the development of bilateral ties and upgrade them in a comprehensive way, Premier Li Keqiang said in Astana on Dec 14.

Li, in Astana for an official visit to Kazakhstan and a prime ministers’ meeting of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization, made the remark when meeting Kazakh President Nursultan Nazarbayev.

The development philosophies of China and Kazakhstan fit that of each other, Li said, hailing the depth and scope of bilateral cooperation as well as its significance.

China is willing to enhance political mutual trust with Kazakhstan, expand two-way trade and investment, deepen cooperation in energy, resource and related deep processing industries, carry out frequent people-to-people exchanges and exchanges at local levels, so as to better benefit the two peoples, Li said.

China will actively participate in implementing Kazakhstan’s “Bright Road” initiative that is aimed at revitalizing the country’s economy, and jointly promote infrastructure construction cooperation, such as developing steel works, power plants and building railroads.

The two countries should join hands to tackle various challenges of the international economy so as to achieve common development that benefits both, Li said.

China is willing to strengthen coordination with Kazakhstan in international and regional affairs to bring the two countries’ comprehensive strategic partnership to a higher level, Li added.

For his part, Nazarbayev welcomed Li’s first visit to Kazakhstan as premier, saying he is delighted to see China’s economic achievements and is grateful to the assistance China has offered to Kazakhstan’s industrialization drive.

Hailing the close friendship between his country and China as well as the two sides’ ever-deepening cooperation in various areas, Nazarbayev said Kazakhstan supports the initiatives of the construction of the Silk Road Economic Belt and the 21st Century Maritime Silk Road which were proposed by China, and is willing to cooperate with China in such areas as economy and trade, interconnectivity, and the deep processing of energy materials.

He welcomed the participation of the Chinese side in Kazakhstan’s infrastructure construction, expecting that the two countries, taking Premier Li’s visit as an opportunity, can explore new cooperation areas to add momentum to Kazakhstan’s economic development and enrich the content of bilateral ties.

Premier Li Keqiang (3rd L) meets with Kazakh President Nursultan Nazarbayev (2nd R) in Astana, Kazakhstan, Dec 14, 2014. [Photo/Xinhua]