UNJournal 이성준 | Chinese President Xi Jinping and Kyrgyz President Sadyr Zaparov held a bilateral summit in Bishkek on August 31, marking the 34th anniversary of diplomatic relations between the two countries with the signing of a landmark treaty and the exchange of approximately 20 cooperation documents spanning a broad range of sectors.

The centrepiece of the summit was the signing of the "Permanent Treaty of Good Neighborly Relations and Friendship between China and Kyrgyzstan" — a document both leaders described as establishing a durable legal foundation for the long-term development of bilateral ties. The two presidents also adopted a "Joint Declaration on the Qualitative Development of the Comprehensive Strategic Partnership in the New Era," outlining the framework for advancing relations across political, economic, and people-to-people dimensions.

A Treaty for the Long Term

President Xi assessed that relations between China and Kyrgyzstan have developed rapidly in recent years and expressed confidence that both countries would continue generating cooperative outcomes with tangible benefits for their respective populations. He described the permanent treaty as an important legal basis underpinning continuous friendly relations and firm mutual support, and emphasised China's readiness to strengthen political trust with Kyrgyzstan and work toward building a China-Kyrgyz community with a shared future.

President Zaparov welcomed the treaty's signing as opening broader possibilities for the new stage of bilateral relations. He assessed that China's international cooperation initiatives are contributing to addressing common global challenges and to building a more just and stable international order, and expressed his intention to cooperate closely with China through the United Nations, the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation, and the China-Central Asia Cooperation framework.

Twenty Cooperation Documents Across Key Sectors

Taking advantage of President Xi's state visit, the two sides exchanged approximately 20 cooperation documents across a wide array of fields. The agreements cover investment, transportation, customs, local government exchanges, sister city partnerships, science and technology, education, culture, and media — reflecting the breadth of the cooperation agenda the two governments are pursuing.

The exchange of documents was observed by both leaders at the conclusion of the summit talks, underscoring the practical character of the engagement alongside its symbolic and diplomatic significance.

Railway Connectivity and Regional Integration

A significant element of the summit's economic agenda was reaffirmation of both sides' commitment to advancing regional connectivity, including the construction of the China-Kyrgyzstan-Uzbekistan (CKU) railway — a project with implications not only for bilateral trade but for the broader integration of Central Asia into overland Eurasian transport networks.

Both sides agreed to continue expanding economic and trade cooperation and to strengthen the regional connectivity frameworks that underpin Central Asia's integration into global supply chains. Plans were also confirmed to deepen exchanges in education, culture, and media as a means of broadening the foundation of mutual understanding between the peoples of the two countries.

SCO Cooperation and Regional Stability

As founding members of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation, China and Kyrgyzstan reaffirmed their commitment to faithfully implementing agreements from previous SCO summits and to cooperating for the common development and stability of the region. President Zaparov indicated that Bishkek intends to engage actively within both the SCO and the China-Central Asia Cooperation framework as venues for multilateral coordination with Beijing.

The Bishkek summit is assessed as significant in that it establishes a long-term cooperation framework extending well beyond conventional political and economic ties, encompassing regional security, transportation infrastructure, and people-to-people exchanges — and setting the tone for China-Kyrgyzstan relations as both countries navigate a rapidly shifting regional and global environment.