Tajik Foreign Minister Sirojiddin Muhriddin yesterday met here with Chinese Government’s Special Representative on Eurasian Affairs, Mr. Li Hui, according to the Tajik MFA information department.

The meeting took place on the eve of the establishment of diplomatic relations between the two countries, and the parties       

The parties reportedly expressed the current level of political and economic cooperation between Tajikistan and China and noted that thanks to joint efforts, the countries had reached the level of a comprehensive strategic partnership.

Muhriddin and Li also discussed issues of further expansion of bilateral cooperation between the two countries and emphasized the necessity of implementation of agreements reached by the leaders of the two countries to expand the mutually beneficial collaboration between Tajikistan and China in various spheres.  

A special attention was reportedly given to economic, investment, scientific and technological cooperation.

They also exchanged views on the current security cooperation in the region and cooperation between Tajikistan and China within international and regional organizations.  

The Tajik MFA information department says China’s Special Representative on Eurasian Affairs, Mr. Li Hui, has visited Tajikistan and other Central Asia’s nations within the framework of events dedicated to the 30th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between Chin and the Central Asian countries.  

The Republic of Tajikistan and People's Republic of China have friendly relations characterized by bilateral and multilateral collaboration.  The two countries established formal relations on January 4, 1992, shortly after the dissolution of the Soviet Union.

China is now among the four largest trade partners of Tajikistan.  Over the first eleven months of this year, the total trade turnover between Tajikistan and China has reached 709 million U.S. dollars.  A number of large Chinese enterprises in various industries operate in Tajikistan.

Many Tajik students are trained in different institutions in China.  A large number of students are trained in an educational and cultural center of Confucius in Dushanbe, Tajikistan.  Chinese Government is organizing training courses and seminars in various fields for Tajikistan's specialists. Chinese language centers have been opened in a number of higher education institutions of Tajikistan. 

The “Chinese culture corner” was opened at the National Library of Tajikistan. Both countries hold regular cultural shows and events.

Tajikistan and China are active members of the regional and international organizations and closely cooperate within the framework of these organizations, particularly the Shanghai Cooperation Organization. Through the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO), China swayed Tajikistan to combat the ‘three evils’ that are terrorism, separatism, and religious extremism.

The legal foundation of the bilateral cooperation between the two countries includes more than 200 interstate and intergovernmental agreements.

The governments of China and Tajikistan collaborate on security and military training; this collaboration has become stronger since the 2001 United States invasion of Afghanistan.  The two countries' militaries have conducted joint military exercises since 2006.