On August 31, 2011, Chinese Vice Premier Li Keqiang met in Urumqi respectively with Pakistani President Asif Ali Zardari and Kazakhstan's Deputy Prime Minister Aset Isekeshev, who are here for the first China-Eurasia Expo.

While meeting with Zardari, Li first conveyed the cordial greetings and good wishes from President Hu Jintao. He said China and Pakistan are sincere friends sharing weal and woe as well as strategic partners with mutual trust. The two countries have adhered to the Five Principles of Peaceful Coexistence, forged an all-weather friendship and conducted all-round cooperation. The Chinese government has always looked at ties with Pakistan from a strategic and long-term perspective and is ready to work with Pakistan to consolidate traditional friendship, deepen mutually beneficial cooperation on investment and trade, energy and resources, infrastructure and finance and enhance strategic coordination so as to inject new vitality into bilateral ties, Li said.

Li said the China-Eurasia Expo has served as a platform for exchanges and cooperation between China's western regions, particularly the Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region, and Asian and European nations. The opportunities offered by the Expo can be seized to further display advantages of all parties including China and Pakistan, promote trade and investment and continuously push cooperation to a higher level, Li said.

Zardari thanked for President Hu's greetings and wishes, saying Pakistan is ready to enhance its cooperation with China on political, economic as well as regional and international issues to carry forward the Pakistan-China friendship and push forward the ties.

In his meeting with Kazakhstan's Deputy Prime Minister Aset Isekeshev, Li said China and Kazakhstan, as friendly neighbors, have witnessed all-round rapid development of bilateral ties in recent years. He recalled the successful mutual visits made by the two heads of state this year, noting that both sides have reached important consensus in many aspects and jointly announced the development of China-Kazakhstan comprehensive strategic partnership. Bilateral relationship is at a new starting point. China is ready to work with Kazakhstan to increase mutual political trust, strengthen cooperation and coordination in international affairs, deepen cooperation on key projects and tap potential of bilateral cooperation on energy, resources, high and new technology, infrastructure and humanities so as to push forward bilateral ties, Li said.

Isekeshev said Kazakhstan and China are friendly neighbors with mutual trust and that Kazakhstan is willing to further pragmatic cooperation with China in economy, trade, technology and other fields to bring bilateral relations to a new level.

Minister of Commerce Chen Deming, Secretary of CPC Xinjiang Committee Zhang Chunxian, Deputy Secretary-General of the State Council You Quan, Vice Foreign Minister Zhang Zhijun and other officials attended the meeting.