Hu's Eurasian tour bolsters ties and breeds hopes
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Comprehensive cooperation with Eurasian countries
Kazakhstan
Kazakhstan is a good neighbor and important strategic partner of China. China is highly aware of the importance of its relationship with its western neighbor and places a high priority on diplomacy with the central Asian country. The relationship has developed rapidly since the two countries became strategic partners in July 2005, with frequent, high-level bilateral exchanges and enhanced mutual trust. Bilateral trade reached US$20 billion last year, over 50 times more than initial levels when diplomatic relations were established in 1996.
China expects to accomplish six objectives during Hu's visit to Kazakhstan from June 12 to June 14: upgraded strategic relations; enhanced mutual trust and unswerving support on issues concerning each country's core interests; expanded cooperation on the economy, trade, natural resources and other fields; comprehensive communication regarding culture, education, tourism, health and media; cooperation on counterterrorism, particularly the sabotage of the "East Turkestan" separatist forces in western China's Xinjiang; maintaining the peace and stability of the region and enhancing strategic coordination under the framework of the United Nations and the SCO. Hu will meet Kazakh President Nursultan Nazarbayev, and both sides will sign a number of agreements concerning the results of the talks held between the two leaders.
Ukraine
Ukraine will be the last stop on Hu's Eurasian tour, yet the visit bears huge significance, as it marks the first visit to the country by a top Chinese leader in 10 years.
As one of the larger countries in Europe, Ukraine boasts huge economic potential and exerts large regional and international influence. Ukrainian President Viktor Yanukovych has paid a great deal of attention to the country's relations with China. He stressed on many occasions that since China's economy has grown at an astonishing pace, it has become an important engine for the world's economy as a whole. Ukraine has enhanced its relations with China while pursuing its interests a top priority of its foreign policy.
China also attaches great importance to the Sino-Ukrainian relationship. It treats Ukraine as a trusted and reliable partner. China hopes the two countries can make big strides in their relationship as the two sides mark 20 years of solid cooperation.
President Hu has met with Yanukovych twice since 2010. During their talks, the two sides decided to shape up the Sino-Ukrainian Strategic Partnership. To prepare for important diplomatic strategy, the two countries set up a cooperative committee at the vice-premier-level and set a goal of US$10-billion trade volume in 2012.
China is optimistic on expanding cultural, political, economic and scientific cooperation with Ukraine. In 2010, China became an important trade partner with Ukraine, with trade between the two countries reaching US$7.7 billion, up 33 percent from 2009.
The two countries have continued to strengthen relations this year. In April, Ukrainian Prime Minister Mykola Azarov attended the Boao Forumfor Asia in Hainan, China. Meanwhile, Chinese Vice Premier Zhang Dejiang visited Ukraine. The exchange has energized relations between the two countries and lifted their cooperation to a new level. In the first four months of this year, bilateral trade between the two countries reached US$3.06 billion, growing 49 percent year-on-year. The period also witnessed a number of exchanges on science, technology, and culture, and the two countries actively cooperated on world affairs.
Feng Yujun is a department director of China Institutes of Contemporary International Relations, in charge of Russian issues.
(This article is written in Chinese and translated by Wu Jin)
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