BISHKEK (TCA) — Ahead of a two-day summit in the Kyrgyz capital Bishkek of leaders of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO), a regional grouping led by Moscow and Beijing, Kyrgyzstan President Sooronbai Jeenbekov on June 13 discussed bilateral ties and regional security issues with his Chinese counterpart, Xi Jinping, who is on a state visit to Kyrgyzstan.
After their talks today, Jeenbekov and Xi signed a Declaration on deepening strategic partnership between Kyrgyzstan and China, according to the Kyrgyz presidential press service.
Jeenbekov said after the talks that Bishkek and Beijing have “a common standpoint on the fight against three evils: terrorism, extremism, and separatism,” RFE/RL’s Kyrgyz Service reported.
He added that Kyrgyzstan supported China’s position regarding Taiwan, saying, “Taiwan is inseparable part of China and the Kyrgyz side supports China in that matter.”
Beijing regards the island state as a rebel region that must be reunited with China’s mainland.
Jeenbekov also said that the internment of ethnic Kyrgyz and other mostly Muslim indigenous people in the northwestern Chinese region of Xinjiang was an “internal matter” for China.
“Kyrgyzstan supports the leadership of the Chinese People’s Republic in that matter as well,” he said.
Also on June 13, President Jeenbekov awarded Xi Jinping the Manas Order, First Degree, Kyrgyzstan’s highest state decoration, Xinhua reported.
Speaking at the award ceremony, Jeenbekov said that he appreciates Xi’s special contributions to the development of the Kyrgyzstan-China comprehensive strategic partnership.
He said his country will never forget China’s long-running support and assistance, and believes that Xi’s visit this time will open up a new chapter of bilateral ties between the two countries.
