China's Xi hosts Kyrgyz President Japarov for talks in Beijing

China's President Xi Jinping on Wednesday hosted his Kyrgyz counterpart Sadyr Japarov for bilateral talks, state media reported.

Japarov is on a state visit to China, and the two leaders held talks at the Great Hall of the People in the capital Beijing.

"Over the years, China-Kyrgyzstan relations have realized leapfrog growth and reached the new height of a comprehensive strategic partnership for a new era," Xi told Japarov.

He added: "China is ready to work closely with Kyrgyzstan to achieve more significant outcomes in building a China-Kyrgyzstan community with a shared future."

"We see that China is steadily advancing its high-quality development and sharing its valuable experience in poverty alleviation, development, and other critical areas with other countries," Japarov told state-run Xinhua News.

The Central Asian leader's visit to China continues through Friday.

He said China's modernization efforts would bring new opportunities not only to Kyrgyzstan, but also to the entire Central Asian region and other developing countries.

"At present, we need to strengthen economic and trade collaboration, diversify trade, and promote joint investment projects that align with our shared interests," he said.

Japarov last visited China in 2023.

China is Kyrgyzstan's largest trading partner and an important source of investment, and the bilateral trade volume last year climbed to $22.71 billion.

- THAI PREMIER'S VISIT

Separately, Thai Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra on Wednesday embarked on an official trip to China.

This year marks the 50th anniversary of diplomatic relations between China and Thailand.

Xi is expected to host Paetongtarn for bilateral talks as the two sides move to enhance bilateral ties, including further expanding economic cooperation.

Ahead of her trip, Paetongtarn's Cabinet approved phase II of the China-Thailand High-Speed Railway, a flagship infrastructure project under Beijing's trillion-dollar Belt and Road Initiative.

This would also be Southeast Asian country's first standard-gauge high-speed railway.