国内英语新闻:China, five Central Asian nations celebrate 20th anniversary of diplomatic ties

BEIJING, Jan. 10 (Xinhua) -- Chinese State Councilor Dai Bingguo on Tuesday attended a reception at the Great Hall of People in Beijing celebrating the 20th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic ties between China and five Central Asian countries.

China successively established diplomatic relations with Uzbekistan, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan and Turkmenistan in early January of 1992.

In his address, Dai said relations between China and the five nations have achieved comprehensive and significant progress since they forged diplomatic ties 20 years ago, featuring frequent high-level visits, deepened political mutual trust, mutual support on major issues of each other's concern and expanded mutually beneficial cooperation in various fields.

China and the five countries have maintained close coordination within the framework of the United Nations and the Shanghai Cooperation Organization and have positively contributed to safeguarding and promoting the world's peace, stability and development, he said.

Noting China and the Central Asian nations are good neighbors, good friends and good partners, Dai said, no matter how the international situation changes, China will adhere to the policy of building friendship and partnership with its neighbors and support the five nations to independently choose their development path.

China will unswervingly advance traditional friendship and cooperation with the five nations and will work with them to make unremitting efforts for building a harmonious world of lasting peace and common prosperity, he said.

Dai said China will take the opportunity of celebrating the 20th anniversary to increase political mutual trust, expand mutually beneficial cooperation and develop traditional friendship with the five nations, in the hope of jointly creating a bright future for their relations.

Li Xiaolin, president of the Chinese People's Association for Friendship with Foreign Countries, and diplomatic envoys from the five Central Asian nations also addressed the reception.