China and Kazakhstan are good neighbors that have been enjoying strategic partnership for the last 21 years - Chinese President Xi Jinping

- The soaring Chinese economy has unexpectedly come to a standstill recently. In your opinion, what is the perspective of its development? What new stabilizing measures for economic growth can we expect from China?
- China's economy is doing well: over the first half of 2013 the gross domestic product (GDP) has increased by 7.6%. This rate is quite high compared to other countries. We intentionally slowed down the growth rates in order to find drastic solution to occurring problems given the long-term outlook. Thus, I believe, the current growth rates are the result of useful adjustment.
Utmost attention is paid to the policy of social welfare, stabilization and expansion of labor market. As a result, 7.25 million new jobs have been created in China over the last six months. Truth be told, we are faced with the problem of paying wages in some provinces, excess capacity in some industries and so on, however, these problems can be tackled.
China is the second largest economy in the world, making its weighty contribution to the revival of global economy. Sustainable, strong and future-oriented China is what the world would like to see. China, in turn, has everything to ensure sustainable and smooth development of the economy, shape up global market and contribute greatly to the development of global economy.
- The Group of 20 Summit is set to be held in St. Petersburg this week. What does China expect from the 8th G20 Summit?
- The upcoming meeting of the G20 leaders is of paramount importance, given the lack of dynamics in economic growth and new deeper consequences of the global financial crisis. China supports the G20 agenda, especially stimulation of the economic growth and creating more jobs, strengthening partnership relations within the G20 mechanism, and consolidating macroeconomic policy for the benefit of better future of the global economy.
- Why is the G20 Summit so important in the light of the global financial crisis? How does the G20 mechanism differ from other mechanisms of global economic cooperation? How does the Chinese side assess its role in the modern world?
G20 consists of developed countries as well as countries with the up and coming economies that come together for consultations and discussions. And that, in my opinion, reflects changes in the modern economic landscape and the main trend in the development of the international economic relations.
After the global financial crisis in 2008, the G20 has earned a reputation of the leading forum for economic cooperation. It pushes the world community to be more active in coordination of the macroeconomic policy with a whole package of measures to help the global economy come out of the shadow of the financial crisis.
Currently, the G20 is undergoing somewhat a transformation from being an anti-crisis mechanism to a long-term institution of economic management. If the G20 member states preserve the partnership spirit of mutual assistance and common gain, continue to step up macroeconomic coordination, improve global economic management, reform the financial system and promote liberalization of the international trade, the organization will have good prospects in the future.
- How do you estimate the present level of Kazakh-Chinese relations and what do you expect from the future? How Kazakhstan and China are going to raise the volume of mutual trade to the mark of $40 billion by 2015? What is your opinion about Kazakhstan and China's cooperation as strategic partners in the international and regional arena?
- China and Kazakhstan are good neighbors that have been enjoying strategic partnership for the last 21 years since the establishment of diplomatic relations. Both countries see relations with one another as the priority of their foreign policies. It may safely be said that Kazakh-Chinese relations are at the all-time high level and there are unprecedented perspectives in the development of comprehensive strategic partnership between the two nations.
Over the last decade, China and Kazakhstan have seen a surge in the commercial and economic ties. China is the largest trade partner of Kazakhstan, whereas Kazakhstan is the second largest trade partner of China among the CIS countries. In order to step up practical cooperation, the countries have set a goal to lift the volume of mutual trade to $40 billion by 2015.
Of course, this ambitious goal requires efforts on both sides. We should continue working at a mutually profitable basis, preserve the favorable dynamics of cooperation in the oil and gas sector and, thereupon, explore the potential for cooperation in such fields as agriculture, transport, high technologies, telecommunications and chemical industry. It is also crucial to activate the humanitarian and inter-regional contacts, form an interaction structure with clearly defined priorities that would promote all spheres of cooperation. I am confident that thanks to joint efforts the multi-vector and comprehensive cooperation between China and Kazakhstan will conquer new heights benefiting both countries.
As the developing nations and authoritative players in the international agenda, China and Kazakhstan share common stance on the international and regional problems and shoulder the responsibility of advocating peace, development and stability in the region and the world. Being members of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO), both countries actively cooperate within its framework, promote cooperation between the SCO member states in agriculture, finance and counteract security threats. China together with Kazakhstan is ready to contribute to the cause of peace, stability and development throughout the region and the world.