Minister Han Changfu met with Mr. Bakhytzhan Sagintayev, Prime Minister of the Republic of Kazakhstan, in Astana on 11 July 2017. The two sides exchanged views on China-Kazakhstan agricultural cooperation.
At the beginning of the meeting, Minister Han conveyed greetings from Chinese Premier Li Keqiang to Kazakh Prime Minister Bakhytzhan Sagintayev. Minister Han noted that both Chinese President Xi Jinping and Kazakh President Nursultan Nazarbayev attach great importance to the bilateral agricultural cooperation, and this visit is to implement the consensus between the two leaders and push forward practical agricultural cooperation in an all-round manner.
Minister Han noted that Kazakhstan boasts priceless treasure of agricultural resources, and China represents a huge market with 1.4 billion people. Hence, the two countries are highly complementary, enjoying great potential for agricultural cooperation. Minister Han suggested that the two sides jointly build agricultural demonstration park and intensify cooperation in agricultural investment, trade, science and technology.
Prime Minister Bakhytzhan Sagintayev welcomed the visit of Minister Han. He stated that Kazakh President Nursultan Nazarbayev follows closely the progress of implementation of the consensus between the two heads of states. This visit is crucial and timely. The Kazakh Government hopes to comprehensively strengthen agricultural cooperation with China to promote agricultural development and export of Kazakhstan. Chinese ambassador to Kazakhstan Zhang Hanhui attended the meeting.
During his stay in Kazakhstan, Minister Han also met with Mr. Askar Myrzakhmetov, Kazakh Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Agriculture, in Astana. The two ministers addressed the opening ceremony of China-Kazakhstan Agrarian Investment Forum, signed the MOU on the joint development of agricultural demonstration park and witnessed the signing of six additional agreements on agricultural projects.