Premier Li Keqiang met with the visiting Kazakh Prime Minister Karim Masimov in Beijing on Dec 14, calling for deepened capacity cooperation between China and Kazakhstan to achieve win-win outcomes.

The Kazakh prime minister came to China to pay an official visit and attend the 14th Meeting of the Council of Heads of Government (Prime Ministers) of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO).

Hailing the well-developed bilateral ties, Premier Li said it becomes even more necessary for the two countries to cement mutual trust and further connect development strategies in the backdrop of sluggish global economic growth and downward pressure on various economies.

Recalling his visit to Kazakhstan a year ago, the Premier said that he had reached significant consensus with Kazakh President Nursultan Nazarbayev and Masimov on bilateral capacity cooperation.

Over the year, framework agreements on capacity and investment cooperation have been signed, working mechanisms have been established, and capacity cooperation funds have been launched, said the Premier.

According to Premier Li, in the 52 early harvest programs, the projects of automobile assembly and polypropylene is making progress, and the Astana light rail project is set to break ground by the end of the year, with more than ten projects of steel, iron smelting and cement expected to be launched next year.

“It indicates that the ‘high-quality sapling’ of bilateral capacity cooperation is growing sturdily. I believe it will bear rich fruits soon,” said the Premier.

Premier Li stressed that China will continue to implement the consensus reached by the two sides, and explore a cooperation mode that will cover investment, production, sales and supporting services.

“China is willing to improve trading structure with Kazakhstan — expand agricultural products trading, deepen and expand energy cooperation, promote the construction of base for logistics, and improve regional communication to make it more convenient for the two countries’ people,” said the Premier.

Masimov said that Kazakhstan-China cooperation in production capacity achieved fruitful results in the past year, adding that Kazakhstan attached great importance to a series of development strategies put forward by China such as the Silk Road Economic Belt, Made in China 2025 and Internet Plus.

“Kazakhstan is willing to give more support in finance and human resource to production capacity cooperation. Energy cooperation projects such as petroleum development, pipeline construction and nuclear power should be further expanded, and infrastructure construction, cooperation in finance, agriculture, aerospace and environmental protection should be deepened. Kazakhstan is confident about the future of the two countries’ relations and hopes the SCO prime ministers’ meeting successful,” said Masimov.

Premier Li held a welcoming ceremony for Masimov before their meeting.

The two sides announced a joint communique after the meeting. The Premier and Masimov also witnessed the signing of over ten bilateral cooperation agreements.