Premier Li Keqiang met with Tajik President Emomali Rahmon and Prime Minister Kokhir Rasulzoda separately in Tajik capital Dushanbe on Oct 13.

China is willing to work with Tajikistan to push China-Tajikistan comprehensive strategic partnership to a new level, Premier Li said when meeting with President Rahmon.

Premier Li conveyed President Xi Jinping’s sincere greetings to President Rahmon and said that the two countries enjoy profound traditional friendship and a high degree of political mutual trust.

He hailed that practical cooperation between the two sides has gained great achievements and that there are broad prospects for the development of bilateral relations.

China and Tajikistan should further tap the potential of cooperation and innovate ways of cooperation to achieve better mutual benefits and win-win results, Premier Li added.

China supports competent Chinese companies to invest in Tajikistan, Premier Li said, calling on Tajikistan to create a better business environment and improve the facilitation of customs clearance and transportation.

Premier Li said that China welcomes high-quality agricultural products from Tajikistan to enter its market and is willing to strengthen security and counter-terrorism cooperation with Tajikistan.

In response, Rahmon said that Premier Li’s visit has injected strong impetus to the development of bilateral relations and that Tajikistan attaches great importance to its relations with China.

Tajikistan appreciates China’s support and assistance to the country’s economic and social development and is willing to deepen cooperation with China in the areas of transportation, agriculture, energy, and infrastructure, he added.

Premier Li called on the two sides to support each other and seek common development to boost bilateral ties to new levels when meeting with Tajik Prime Minister Rasulzoda.

Premier Li said Tajikistan is the first leg of his Eurasian trip, which demonstrates the importance China attaches to the comprehensive strategic partnership with Tajikistan.

Noting the rapid and healthy growth of bilateral ties and cooperation in all areas at the moment, Premier Li said China stands ready to strengthen the synergy of the Belt and Road Initiative with Tajikistan’s development strategy to advance good-neighborliness and practical cooperation across the matrix.

Speaking in details, Premier Li said cooperation in economy and trade and investment must be expanded.

He said connectivity should be strengthened, with more to be done in transportation, energy, and border infrastructure development.

Rasulzoda said Tajikistan is willing to take an active part in building the Belt and Road, enhance bilateral practical cooperation in trade, energy, transportation, agriculture, investment, and financing, expand cultural and people-to-people exchanges, among others, in order to maintain the healthy and steady development of the bilateral ties.

Rasulzoda said Tajikistan is ready to coordinate closely with China under the SCO framework.

After the talks, Premier Li and Rasulzoda witnessed the signing of documents on political, trade, customs, and local cooperation, and jointly met the press.

Premier Li laid wreaths on the National Reconciliation and Restoration Monument in Tajikistan on the morning of Oct 13.