Xi arrives for SCO summit, state visit

President Xi Jinping said on Sunday that he looks forward to working with Kyrgyz President Sadyr Japarov to draw up a new blueprint for building a China-Kyrgyzstan community with a shared future, as he arrived in Bishkek, the Kyrgyz capital, for the Shanghai Cooperation Organization Summit 2026 and a state visit to Kyrgyzstan.

In written remarks delivered upon his arrival, Xi extended sincere greetings and best wishes to Japarov and the Kyrgyz people on behalf of the Chinese government and people.

Xi said the traditional friendship between China and Kyrgyzstan has a long history, with the majestic Tianshan Mountains bearing witness to friendly exchanges between the two peoples spanning more than a millennium.

Over the 34 years since the establishment of diplomatic ties, China-Kyrgyzstan relations have withstood changes in the international landscape, maintained sound and steady development, and reached the high level of a comprehensive strategic partnership for a new era, he said.

In recent years, bilateral cooperation has entered a "golden period" of rapid growth, Xi said, noting that bilateral trade and visits between the two countries have reached record highs, while major projects, including the China-Kyrgyzstan-Uzbekistan railway, have made smooth progress.

Tangible outcomes of mutually beneficial cooperation have brought extensive benefits to the two peoples, he added.

Statistics showed that trade in goods between China and Kyrgyzstan reached $27.2 billion in 2025, up 20 percent year-on-year.

In a signed article published in Kyrgyz media outlets ahead of the visit, Xi said that China has for years ranked as Kyrgyzstan's largest trading partner and biggest source of foreign investment.

Xi wrote that Chinese smartphones and electric vehicles had become "trendy choices for Kyrgyz consumers", while an increasing number of quality Kyrgyz farm products were making their way into Chinese kitchens.

Xi's current trip marks his third visit to Kyrgyzstan as Chinese president, following visits in 2013 and 2019.

During his stay, Xi will hold in-depth discussions with Japarov on China-Kyrgyzstan relations, bilateral cooperation in various fields, and international and regional issues of common concern.

Last year marked a high point in China-Kyrgyzstan diplomacy, with the two leaders meeting three times. Key engagements also included their back-to-back meetings on the sidelines of the second China-Central Asia Summit in the Kazakh capital of Astana in June and the SCO summit in the Chinese port city of Tianjin in August.

In the written speech, Xi also said he looks forward to attending the SCO summit in Bishkek and working with all parties to promote the organization's continued development.

This year marks the 25th anniversary of the SCO. Since its founding in Shanghai in 2001, the organization has grown into the world's largest comprehensive regional organization in terms of geographical coverage and population, with cooperation expanding across security, economic development and cultural exchanges.

At the SCO summit in Tianjin last year, Xi announced three China-SCO cooperation platforms for energy, green industry and the digital economy, as well as three cooperation centers for scientific and technological innovation, higher education, and vocational and technical education.

During the Bishkek summit, Xi will exchange views with other leaders on deepening SCO cooperation under the new circumstances, as well as major international and regional issues, and make plans for the organization's high-quality development and its participation in reforming and developing the global governance system, according to the Foreign Ministry.

Upon arrival at Manas International Airport in Bishkek, Xi and his wife, Peng Liyuan, were warmly received by Japarov and his wife, Aigul Japarova.

Japarov presented flowers to Peng, while young Kyrgyz women offered Xi and Peng traditional bread and honey, welcoming them with a traditional ceremony reserved for the most distinguished guests.

With honor guards standing in salute on both sides of the red carpet, the two presidents and their wives watched performances featuring traditional musical instruments and singing, as well as cultural displays of falcons, hunting dogs, traditional warriors, horsemen and yurts. Local teenagers also sang a Chinese song.

mojingxi@chinadaily.com.cn