Kyrgyzstan is aiming to develop closer ties with China as the world's second-largest economy provides more opportunities to the Central Asian region, said Kyrgyz President Almazbek Atambaev.

In a recent interview with Xinhua News Agency, Atambaev said he is expecting to speak with President Xi Jinping, whose upcoming visit to Kyrgyzstan will be the first official meeting between the two leaders.

On Tuesday, Xi will make a state visit to Kyrgyzstan, the fourth leg of his Central Asian tour. He will later attend the Shanghai Cooperation Organization summit in the Kyrgyz capital of Bishkek.

The Kyrgyz president pointed out that China-Kyrgyzstan cooperation is important to Kyrgyzstan's "national strategy for sustainable development", a roadmap launched this year for the Central Asian country's development until 2017.

Atambaev said maintaining amicable relations with countries in Central Asia, including Kyrgyzstan, is a key component to the Chinese dream of national rejuvenation envisioned by Xi.

Xi's visit to Kyrgyzstan is vital for consolidating China-Kyrgyzstan relations to serve the basic interests of each nation's citizens, Atambaev said.

He said Kyrgyzstan is committed to its friendship policy with China and added that he is happy to see relations between the two nations developing rapidly in recent years.

Atambaev said since the Shanghai Cooperation Organization was founded in 2001, it has become one of the multilateral mechanisms with the greatest potential and brightest prospects, adding that Kyrgyzstan is honored to host the 13th meeting of the SCO's Council of Heads of Member States.

The summit this year will focus on the conflict in Afghanistan after a scheduled withdrawal of NATO-led coalition forces in 2014, he said.

Leaders of the SCO member states will also discuss plans to step up cooperation in multilateral economic projects and exchange views on combating the "three evil forces" of terrorism, extremism and separatism, drug trafficking and arms smuggling.

The Chinese president's Central Asian tour has brought him to Turkmenistan, Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan.

(China Daily USA 09/10/2013 page4)