China-Kyrgyzstan cooperation sees tangible benefits

That "road of trust" is already taking shape through expanding educational cooperation. Mirlan Dyldaev, rector of Bishkek State University, said education and youth exchanges are essential to nurturing friendship, as cooperation between Chinese and Kyrgyz universities continues to deepen in the areas of academic research, talent development and cultural heritage studies.

According to the Chinese Foreign Ministry, Kyrgyzstan is home to one Luban Workshop, four Confucius Institutes and 21 Confucius Classrooms. Luban Workshops are a Chinese international program dedicated to vocational education, while Confucius Institutes provide opportunities for people all over the world to learn about Chinese language and culture.

"All this cooperation must rest on exchanges among young people," Dyldaev said, calling for the two countries to build on their tradition of academic exchange, enable more young people to benefit and lay a stronger foundation for future cooperation.

Gao Fei, president of China Foreign Affairs University, said that peace, development and good governance are shared aspirations of people around the world, and that China is willing to share its experience with other countries. "We hope China does well, and we also hope our neighbors do well," he said.

Although China and Kyrgyzstan differ in size, stage of development and cultural tradition, more than three decades of diplomatic relations have shown that they can treat each other as equals, pursue mutually beneficial cooperation and grow together, Gao said.

Their cooperation not only benefits both countries, but also offers a useful example of how nations with different conditions can coexist and work together, he added.

zhaojia@chinadaily.com.cn