Issue of delivery Chinese COVID-19 vaccine to Kyrgyzstan considered

Bishkek, Nov. 17, 2020 /Kabar/. Minister of Foreign Affairs of Kyrgyzstan Ruslan Kazakbayev held on Monday a telephone conversation with Member of the State Council and Foreign Minister of China Wang Yi, the press service of the Kyrgyz Foreign Ministry reported Tuesday. During the phone call, Wang Yi congratulated Kazakbayev on appointment as Foreign Minister of Kyrgyzstan, wishing his success. The ministers discussed topical issues of Kyrgyz-Chinese cooperation, the implementation of previously reached agreements between the two countries. Kazakbayev confirmed the commitment of the Kyrgyz side to continuity in the development of friendly and good neighborly relations with China. He informed about the current domestic political situation in the Kyrgyz Republic in order to stabilize the socio-political situation, return the processes to the legal field, as well as about the upcoming early presidential elections to be held on Jan. 10, 2021. Special attention was paid to the joint fight against the spread of the coronavirus infection pandemic. In this context, the Kyrgyz foreign minister expressed gratitude to the Chinese side for the significant humanitarian assistance and constant support to Kyrgyzstan in the fight against COVID-19. Noting with satisfaction the great achievements of the People's Republic of China in the development of a new vaccine in this area, which is in the final third stage of testing, Kazakbayev welcomed the willingness of the Chinese side to distribute vaccines fairly, making them available to Kyrgyzstan. In order to increase the volume of freight traffic between Kyrgyzstan and China, the foreign ministers discussed the full operation of Torugart and Irkeshtam checkpoints across the Kyrgyz-Chinese state border. In light of negative impact of coronavirus infection on the macroeconomic situation, the head of the Kyrgyz Foreign Ministry drew attention to the importance of assistance in the issue of easing the burden of external debt on the budget of the country. Minister Kazakbayev emphasized that the Government of the Kyrgyz Republic will take necessary measures to ensure the safety of companies and enterprises, as well as Chinese citizens engaged in labor activity in the republic. For this purpose, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Kyrgyzstan is planning to hold in the near future a round table with the participation of representatives of leading Chinese companies and enterprises in Kyrgyzstan to discuss in detail the problematic issues. China’s Foreign Minister Wang Yi noted the Chinese side is interested in further increasing exports of organic agricultural products from the Kyrgyz Republic, as well as Kyrgyz coal to the border regions of XUAR of China. The parties expressed readiness to continue active practical cooperation at all levels to further strengthen bilateral relations of comprehensive strategic partnership between Kyrgyzstan and China.