TASHKENT: China will work closely with all Central Asian nations to safeguard regional stability, as well as expand economic and cultural exchanges, President Hu Jintao said yesterday.

"Being burgeoning forces in Eurasia, Central Asian countries are attracting the attention of the world for their development and unique geopolitical function," Hu said during a speech to the Uzbek parliament.

Hu said relations between China and these countries, which include Uzbekistan, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan and Turkmenistan, have developed smoothly.

Moreover, China has co-operated closely with the nations to effectively fight against terrorism, separatism and extremism, which severely threat the safety of the region, he noted.

Hu said China and the region have kept attracting each other's enterprises, enlarging investment and rapport in the areas of energy resources and transportation.

Statistics show trade turnover between China and Central Asian countries was more than US$4 billion last year, which was eight times higher than the 1992 figure.

At the same time, China's investment in the region has exceeded US$1 billion.

To push forward the development, Hu put forward four suggestions:

Deepening friendly neighbour-hood and increasing mutual political trust through intensified high-level exchanges and perfecting regional co-operation mechanisms;

Enhancing security co-ordination and maintaining regional stability, and earnestly carrying out the convention of the Shanghai Co-operation Organization and other bilateral agreements;

Sticking to the principle of mutual benefit and trust to accelerate pragmatic co-operation through the enlargement of investment; and

Scaling-up cultural exchanges and consolidating traditional friendships by encouraging contacts between cultural, media, academic, tourism and social groups.

Erkin Khalilov, chairman of the Uzbek parliament, said Uzbekistan would co-operate closely with China to carry out economic, cultural and technological agreements, as well to ensure stability and safety within the region.

(China Daily 06/17/2004 page1)