Ahead of his state visit to Kyrgyzstan and the 2026 Shanghai Cooperation Organisation summit, Chinese President Xi Jinping published a signed article in local media on August 28, outlining a shared future, economic complementarity, and deeper regional cooperation between the two nations.
State Visit and High-Level Exchanges
Chinese President Xi Jinping published a signed article titled Jointly Opening a New Chapter of High-Quality Development in China-Kyrgyzstan Relations in the “Kyrgyzstan Speech” newspaper and the “Kabar” National News Agency on August 28. The publication preceded his state visit to Bishkek and his attendance at the 2026 Shanghai Cooperation Organisation summit.
People from all walks of life in Kyrgyzstan, when interviewed by Xinhua News Agency reporters, stated that President Xi Jinping’s signed article profoundly expounded from the perspectives of friendship based on trust, integration of interests, heart-to-heart connection, and mutual support that China and Kyrgyzstan are good neighbors as close as lips and teeth, good partners sharing a common future, and good friends who achieve success together, providing direction for opening a new chapter of high-quality development in bilateral relations. They will work with the Chinese side to advance cooperation in various fields step by step, promoting the continuous deepening and solidification of the China-Kyrgyzstan community with a shared future.
In the signed text, the Chinese leader congratulated Kyrgyzstan on its 35th anniversary of independence with sincere wishes, describing the two countries as good neighbors who are as close as lips and teeth, good partners who share a common future, and good friends who achieve success together. According to the publication, Xi noted in the article that it was his third time setting foot on this beautiful land.
Local officials and analysts welcomed the diplomatic engagement. Yelena Rolobova, editor-in-chief of the “Kyrgyzstan Speech” newspaper, said that the signed article is filled with genuine emotion and represents a sincere exchange with the people of Kyrgyzstan, reviewing past achievements and looking toward a bright future. Sheradil Baktygulov, director of the World Political Institute of Kyrgyzstan, noted that high-level contacts provide a clear guide for bilateral relations and international coordination, calling the visit a major event for the country this year and noting that China and Kyrgyzstan have become a “golden model” of good-neighborly friendship and mutually beneficial cooperation.
Former Kyrgyz Foreign Minister Alikbek Jekshenkulov stated that when a close neighbor genuinely rejoices in your success, that sincere sentiment is extremely precious and reflects the president’s respect for the country, its people, and its development path. He added that today the people of Kyrgyzstan understand China better, and Chinese friends have gained greater recognition of Kyrgyzstan, making their friendship enduring and passed down through generations.
Economic Ties and Modernization Goals
Bilateral trade and investment formed a core focus of the signed article. President Xi Jinping pointed out in the signed article that the economies of China and Kyrgyzstan complement each other’s advantages, and there is huge potential for cooperation. In the context of sluggish global economic growth, bilateral economic and trade cooperation has maintained a steady and progressive development momentum, with China remaining Kyrgyzstan’s largest trading partner and largest source of foreign investment for consecutive years.
Kyrgyz economist Toronbek Abdurov noted that the two economies are highly complementary in many aspects, stating that Kyrgyzstan is rich in energy, agricultural, and tourism resources, while China possesses strong financial, industrial, and technological capabilities. He emphasized that Chinese investment not only enables Kyrgyzstan to implement major infrastructure, energy, and industrial projects, but also brings an opportunity to accelerate the country’s modernization.
Consumer patterns reflect this commercial integration. Chinese mobile phones and electric vehicles have become fashionable choices among Kyrgyz citizens, while an increasing number of high-quality agricultural products from Kyrgyzstan enter thousands of Chinese households. Both sides have jointly implemented a series of cooperation projects that benefit the long term and the people’s livelihood, effectively improving the living standards of local people. Melim Korokmatova, vice chairwoman of the Chamber of Commerce and Industry of the Kyrgyz Republic, expressed deep resonance with the concept of integrating interests and truly benefiting the people, noting that the mutual appearance of products in each other’s markets is a welcome trend bringing tangible welfare to both populations, and expressed hope that both sides will give full play to their respective advantages to implement more cooperative projects.
Cultural and Scientific Collaboration
Beyond economic metrics, the diplomatic outreach emphasized people-to-people ties and historical preservation under the framework of mutual understanding and continuous cultural exchanges.
Valery Kolitchenko, an expert from the Institute of History, Archaeology and Ethnography of the National Academy of Sciences of the Kyrgyz Republic, stated that in recent years, archaeological and cultural heritage protection experts from both countries have conducted joint research on ancient sites such as the Red River ancient city ruins, and have established a China-Kyrgyzstan Belt and Road joint laboratory for cultural heritage protection. He noted that these cooperative efforts help protect cultural resources along the Silk Road, allow citizens to personally experience cultural inclusiveness and civilizational diversity, enhance mutual understanding, and lay a solid foundation for deepening ties across various fields.
Nazgul Omurzakova, director of the National Historical Museum of Kyrgyzstan, stated that cultural and people-to-people exchanges are growing increasingly frequent, and expressed expectations that the visit will further promote bilateral collaboration in museum exchanges, archaeological excavation, artifact research, and protection, thereby better passing down historical cultures and traditional friendships.
Regional Integration and Future Prospects
The signed text also addressed strategic infrastructure projects, emphasizing the advancement of the construction of the China-Kyrgyzstan-Uzbekistan railway. Leaders from various sectors in Kyrgyzstan indicated their readiness to work alongside the Chinese side to advance cooperation across all fields step by step and deepen the building of the bilateral community with a shared future.
