China and Kazakhstan have signed a strategic partnership agreement and vowed to double their trade in the next four years.
The deal was signed on June 13 in the Kazakh capital Astana as Chinese President Hu Jintao held talks with Kazakh President Nursultan Nazarbaev.
The Chinese president said the two neighboring countries had set a goal of increasing their trade turnover to $40 billion by 2015.
An agreement announced between the two sides on June 13 calls for a $1 billion currency swap to encourage economic cooperation.
The Kazakh president said the two countries had good prospects for deepening cooperation in the energy sectors, with Kazahstan delivering nuclear fuel to China.
The Kazakh president said the two countries had good prospects for deepening cooperation in the energy sectors, with Kazahstan delivering nuclear fuel to China.
Nazarbaev also said Kazakhstan was fully in agreement with China on the need to cooperate to combat what he called the "three evils" -- terrorism, separatism, and religious extremism.
After Kazakhstan, the Chinese president is due to visit Russia and Ukraine. He is also due to attend in Kazakhstan a summit of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization, which will also be attended by Russian President Dmitry Medvedev.
After Kazakhstan, the Chinese president is due to visit Russia and Ukraine. He is also due to attend in Kazakhstan a summit of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization, which will also be attended by Russian President Dmitry Medvedev.
compiled from agency reports
