国内英语新闻:China eyes closer cooperation with Tajikistan

BISHKEK, Nov. 3 (Xinhua) -- China is willing to further strengthen cooperation with Tajikistan, especially in production capacity and within the framework of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO), Chinese Premier Li Keqiang said here Thursday.

Li made the remarks in a meeting with Tajik Prime Minister Qohir Rasulzoda on the sidelines of the 15th SCO prime ministers' meeting.

Noting that China and Tajikistan are friendly neighbors and cooperation partners, Li said Beijing is satisfied with the development of bilateral relations and cooperation.

China stands ready to strengthen mutual trust, expand cooperation and achieve common development with Tajikistan, Li added.

He spoke highly of bilateral production capacity cooperation in such areas as electricity, textile and machinery, and called on the two sides to expand cooperation to larger scales and more areas.

China, Li added, is also willing to further enhance cooperation with Tajikistan within the framework of the SCO, so as to maintain peace and stability and promote common development.

For his part, Rasulzoda said cooperation with China has promoted the construction and development of major projects in Tajikistan in such areas as transportation, energy, electricity, chemical engineering and textile, and helped Tajikistan realize development and improve people's livelihood.

Tajikistan is willing to work with China to realize continuous development of bilateral relations, he added.

Established in 2001, the SCO is a regional political, economic and security organization that groups China, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Russia, Tajikistan and Uzbekistan as full members.

India and Pakistan signed the SCO's Memorandum of Obligations in June, kick-starting the process of their accession into the group, which also has a number of observers and dialogue partners.