Li calls for expanding Sino-Tajik cooperation
Premier Li Qiang, who is on an official visit to Tajikistan, said on Monday that China is willing to expand cooperation with Tajikistan in emerging industries such as the digital economy and artificial intelligence.
During his meeting with Tajik President Emomali Rahmon in Dushanbe on Monday, Li said China cherishes its profound friendship with Tajikistan and is willing to consolidate and deepen political mutual trust, firmly support each other's core interests, and continuously enhance the quality and efficiency of bilateral cooperation.
As part of the visit's outcomes, the two sides signed on Sunday a number of cooperation documents covering infrastructure development, education, anti-corruption measures and standardized cooperation.
Li told Rahmon that China is ready to expand the scale of bilateral trade, strengthen collaboration in areas such as infrastructure, and broaden cooperation in emerging sectors such as the digital economy and artificial intelligence.
He said that the two sides should deepen law enforcement and security cooperation, step up intelligence exchange and sharing, and jointly combat the "three evil forces" of terrorism, extremism and separatism in order to safeguard lasting peace and stability in the region.
He called on the Tajik side to continue taking effective measures to ensure the safety of Chinese citizens and enterprises in Tajikistan.
During his visit to Tajikistan, which runs through Tuesday, Li is also scheduled to attend the 25th meeting of the Council of Heads of Government (Prime Ministers) of Member States of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization.
Li said that China fully supports Tajikistan in successfully hosting the SCO meeting and will work together to promote the SCO's high-quality development. China is willing to strengthen communication and coordination with Tajikistan in multilateral frameworks such as the United Nations and the China-Central Asia mechanism, he added.
Rahmon noted that during his visit to China in May, he had a successful meeting with President Xi Jinping and reached a series of important consensuses, charting the course for the growth of Tajik-Chinese relations.
Tajikistan firmly adheres to the one-China principle and resolutely supports China in safeguarding its core interests, Rahmon said.
Tajikistan firmly supports the four major global initiatives proposed by President Xi and is willing to strengthen multilateral cooperation with China through platforms such as the UN, the SCO and the China-Central Asia mechanism, he added.
Currently, China is Tajikistan's largest trading partner and its largest source of foreign investment. Bilateral trade in 2025 reached $4.31 billion, up 11.9 percent year-on-year, according to the Chinese Foreign Ministry.
Next year marks the 35th anniversary of diplomatic relations between China and Tajikistan.
During his talks with Tajik Prime Minister Kokhir Rasulzoda after arriving in the country on Sunday, Li said China stands ready to work with Tajikistan to advance high-quality Belt and Road cooperation.
China is willing to deeply synergize its development visions with Tajikistan and deepen cooperation in areas including trade and investment, green minerals, connectivity, clean energy and artificial intelligence, he said.
More exchanges urged
Li said that both sides should expand exchanges and cooperation in areas such as culture and education, and should further deepen law enforcement and security cooperation to foster a stable and secure environment for personnel exchanges.
He said China will import more high-quality goods from Tajikistan and encourage Chinese enterprises to invest and start businesses in Tajikistan. He also expressed hope that Tajikistan will continue to provide a favorable business environment for Chinese enterprises.
Rasulzoda expressed appreciation for China's long-standing and strong support for Tajikistan's economic development.
Tajikistan stands ready to further leverage such platforms as the China-Tajikistan intergovernmental committee on economic and trade cooperation and promote high-quality Belt and Road cooperation, he said.
Aside from cooperation in areas such as trade and investment, Tajikistan also looks to expand cooperation in emerging fields such as the green economy, digital economy and artificial intelligence, he added.
