Editorial: China Kyrgyzstan Friendship Enters' Golden Period 'Along the' SCO Fast Track '
Guide: From the long camel bells along the ancient Silk Road to the joint construction of the "the Belt and Road" in the new era, the friendship between China and Kyrgyzstan has gone through thousands of years and is enduring. Along the fast track of the development of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization, the train of friendship between China and Kyrgyzstan will surely head towards a more glorious "golden period"
On August 30th, President Xi Jinping arrived in Bishkek by special plane to attend the 2026 Shanghai Cooperation Organization Summit and pay a state visit to Kyrgyzstan.
From the long camel bells along the ancient Silk Road to the joint construction of the "the Belt and Road" in the new era, the friendship between China and Kyrgyzstan has been lasting for thousands of years. Since the establishment of diplomatic relations, the relationship between the two countries has undergone the test of international changes and achieved a historic leap from neighborly friendship to strategic partnership, and then to comprehensive strategic partnership in the new era. Last year, the two heads of state met three times and established a highly trusted working relationship and personal friendship, providing strong political guidance for cooperation in various fields between the two sides.
This high level of mutual trust is being transformed into tangible results of cooperation. Against the backdrop of sluggish global economic growth, China Kyrgyzstan economic and trade cooperation maintains a steady and progressive development trend. China has been Kyrgyzstan's largest trading partner and largest source of foreign investment for several consecutive years, and the bilateral trade volume will reach a new historical high in 2025. From photovoltaic power plants to waste technology disposal power generation projects, from modern sewage treatment plants to dozens of highway renovation projects, Chinese enterprises have become an indispensable force in the development pattern of Kyrgyzstan. The construction of the Kyrgyzstan section of the China Kyrgyzstan Uzbekistan Railway has been comprehensively promoted, and the temporary opening of the Biedeli Port has been achieved. The number of direct flights between the two countries continues to increase, and the three-dimensional and diversified interconnection network is becoming increasingly perfect, injecting strong impetus into regional economic integration.
In addition to the "hard connectivity" of economic and trade cooperation, the "soft connectivity" of cultural exchanges is also full of highlights. Luban Workshop, Confucius Institute, and classroom support skills and language learning, the "Health Express Bright Journey" and Traditional Chinese Medicine Center benefit more Kyrgyz people, and cultural days, film festivals, and art festivals bring people closer together. The number of personnel exchanges between the two countries exceeded 400000 last year, with close exchanges between 30 friendly provinces, prefectures, and cities. Starting from August 20th this year, the relevant transit visa free policy will come into effect, and Kyrgyz citizens can enjoy the convenience of the "Bishkek Urumqi" one-day living circle. More and more young people in Kyrgyzstan are striving to learn Chinese and hope to study abroad in China, which fully confirms the profound foundation of spiritual connection between the two peoples.
It can be said that every step of deepening China Kyrgyzstan relations is a micro reflection of the construction of a community of shared future between China and Central Asian countries. In recent years, the vigorous development of China Kyrgyzstan relations cannot be separated from the support of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization, an important multilateral platform. This year marks the 25th anniversary of the establishment of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization. Over the past 25 years, the Shanghai Cooperation Organization has become the world's largest comprehensive regional cooperation organization in terms of territory, population, and enormous development potential. It has successfully explored a new path of regional cooperation and set an example for a new type of international relations.
Last year's Tianjin Summit made a strategic plan for the development of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization in the next 10 years, opening a new stage of high-quality development for the organization. Since Kyrgyzstan took over the rotating presidency of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization, it has done a lot of effective work in consolidating consensus among member states and promoting pragmatic cooperation. This summit will also promote the implementation and continuation of the achievements of the Tianjin Summit. China and Kyrgyzstan will use mechanisms such as the SCO as a platform to further deepen cooperation, jointly oppose hegemonism, unilateralism, and factional confrontation, and promote the construction of a community with a shared future in the SCO to a new level.
Currently, China is fully implementing the 15th Five Year Plan, and Kyrgyzstan is actively implementing the National Development Outline before 2030. The deep integration of development strategies has opened up vast space for pragmatic cooperation between the two sides. Along the fast track of development of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization, the train of friendship between China and Kyrgyzstan will surely head towards a more glorious "golden period".