|
|||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
|||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
|||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
BEIJING, Nov 23 (AFP) - China and Kazakhstan agreed Tuesday to jointly crack down on Islamists, whom they accuse of being ethnic separatists, as they inked a series of agreements on further cooperation and the resolution of outstanding border issues, state media reported.
Chinese President Jiang Zemin held talks with visiting Kazakh President Nursultan Nazarbayev at the Great Hall of the People in central Beijing, China Central Television reported.
"Both sides agreed to strengthen cooperation on cracking down on ethnic separatism, religious extremism and terrorism," the report said.
The two also oversaw the signing of a comprehensive cooperation agreement for the next century, a joint communique on the complete resolution of outstanding border issues and an agreement for uncompensated aid from China to Kazakhstan.
China has expressed concern over the spread of Islam and separatism in its western-most Xinjiang Uighur Autonomous Region, which borders Kazakhstan and other central Asian republics.
Nazarbayev is on a five-day visit to China.
"No matter what develops in the international situation, China will forever remain a good friend, neighbor and partner with Kazakhstan," Jiang was quoted as saying. The Chinese president further praised growing trade between the two countries, which is expected to reach a billion dollars this year.
|
|
||||||||
|
||||||||
|
