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Chinese President to begin 3-nation tour this week
May 4, 2015, 4:47 am

During his tour, Xi is expected to further push Beijing's plan to create a modern Silk Road  [Xinhua]

During his tour, Xi is expected to further push Beijing’s plan to create a modern Silk Road [Xinhua]

Chinese President Xi Jinping will begin his three-nation tour on Thursday evening in Astana, a Foreign Ministry spokesperson announced on Monday morning in Beijing.

Before embarking on a 3-day Moscow trip, Xi will hold meetings with leaders of Kazakstan in capital Astana from Thursday at the invitation of Kazakh President Nursultan Nazarbayev, spokesperson Lu Kang said in a statement.

China signed cooperation deals worth about $14 billion with Central Asia’s biggest economy Kazakhstan during Chinese Premier Li Keqiang’s state visit in December last year.

Xi will talk about trade and deeper economic ties with the SCO members. Russia, China and Kazakhstan are members of the regional security bloc Shanghai Cooperation Organisation while Belarus is a dialogue partner of the bloc.

During his tour, Xi is expected to further push Beijing’s plan to create a modern Silk Road.

Under the “One Belt, One Road” initiative, China aims to create a modern Silk Road Economic Belt and a 21st Century Maritime Silk Road to boost trade and extend its global influence.

Both Russia and China have extensive participation in local energy projects in Central Asia that gives the two countries access to oil and gas reserves, while binding them in the energy, transport, space and agriculture sectors.

Russia, Kazakhstan and Belarus also launched the Eurasian Economic Union earlier this year.

Chinese President Xi Jinping will visit Russia from May 8 to 10 and attend the ceremony to commemorate the 70th anniversary of the victory of the Great Patriotic War in Moscow.

Xi will also pay a state visit to Belarus from May 10 to 12 at the invitation of Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko, Foreign Ministry spokesperson Lu said on Monday.

 

 TBP and Agencies