Xi hails China-Kyrgyzstan ties in ‘golden period’
Thestandard · 3 SOURCESabout 4 hours ago2 MIN
Summary
Chinese President Xi Jinping arrived in Bishkek on Sunday for the Shanghai Cooperation Organization Summit 2026 and a state visit to Kyrgyzstan, where he said bilateral cooperation had entered a “golden period” of rapid development. In a written speech on arrival, Xi said China and Kyrgyzstan have built a comprehensive strategic partnership for a new era over 34 years of diplomatic ties, with trade and people-to-people exchanges reaching new highs. He also pointed to major projects including the China-Kyrgyzstan-Uzbekistan railway, which Chinese state media described as a flagship Belt and Road Initiative project promoted by the leaders of China, Kyrgyzstan and Uzbekistan. The visit comes as China remains Kyrgyzstan’s largest trading partner and bilateral trade reached US$11.7 billion from January to July this year
Key Points
- Kyrgyz President Sadyr Japarov and his wife welcomed Xi Jinping and Peng Liyuan at Manas International Airport in Bishkek on Sunday
- Xi said he would hold in-depth talks with Japarov on bilateral ties, practical cooperation, and international and regional issues of common concern
- China and Kyrgyzstan have maintained stable relations over 34 years and elevated ties to a comprehensive strategic partnership for a new era
- Bilateral trade totaled US$11.7 billion from January to July, with fast growth in electric vehicles, lithium-ion batteries, photovoltaics, and machinery exports
- The China-Kyrgyzstan-Uzbekistan railway starts in Kashgar, crosses Kyrgyzstan’s mountainous terrain, and reaches Uzbekistan as a strategic regional corridor
Why It Matters
For Hong Kong readers, the story points to Beijing’s continued push to pair regional diplomacy with trade and infrastructure links across Central Asia. That matters because stronger overland connectivity and expanding trade categories can reshape supply chains and commercial opportunities tied to Chinese outbound business, logistics and cross-border commerce.