国内英语新闻:China, Kazakhstan to boost economic cooperation

BEIJING, April 2 (Xinhua) -- China and Kazakhstan issued a joint communique of their first Premiers Regular Meeting on Monday,vowing to expand cooperation on trade, mutual investment and transportation.

The two sides spoke highly of the progress that had been made on trade cooperation, and will further explore the potential for cooperation to diversify items to be traded, and optimize the trading structure.

According to the communique, the two countries wish to increase their trade volume to 40 billion U.S. dollars before 2015.

The two sides will encourage their respective business communities to develop trade in agricultural commodities in accordance with market principles and on the basis of equality and mutual benefit, the communique said.

China and Kazakhstan also decided to promote mutual investment to a higher level by offering more favorable conditions.

According to the communique, Kazakhstan welcomes Chinese companies to participate in investment cooperation in fields such as mining, natural resources, high technology and advanced manufacturing.

The two sides also expressed their satisfaction with the current cooperation framework in the energy sector, promising to further implement related agreements signed between the two governments, and create advantageous conditions for the establishment and operation of the China-Kazakhstan oil and gas pipeline.

The two sides will continue their cooperation on the peaceful use of nuclear power and step up their joint development and trade on natural uranium, the communique added.

According to the document, China and Kazakhstan are keen to boost their cooperation in the fields of finance and transportation, especially with regard to highways, railways and aviation.

The two sides will render their full support for the creation of a highway from western China to western Europe, said the communique.

The communique was penned after Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao held the first regular meeting with his Kazakh counterpart Karim Masimov on Saturday.