Interview: Kyrgyzstan-China agricultural cooperation flourishing: minister

Agricultural cooperation between Kyrgyzstan and China has been booming in recent years, especially traditional cultivation and trade in agricultural products, a Kyrgyz official has said.

Zhanybek Kerimaliev, deputy agricultural minister of Kyrgyzstan, said Friday in an interview with Xinhua that two-way trade in agricultural products has been increasing.

"We export vegetables, leather and wool and import mainly meat products, such as chicken, pork, eggs," he said, adding that Kyrgyzstan's accession to the Eurasian Economic Union (EEU) last year will not hinder its trade with China, his country's main partner.

In 2013, when Chinese President Xi Jinping visited Kyrgyzstan and held talks with his counterpart Almazbek Atambayev, the two heads of state announced they would upgrade the China-Kyrgyzstan relationship to a strategic partnership, which has promoted the development of bilateral cooperation, including in the agricultural area.

On May 22, when Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi met with his Kyrgyz counterpart Erlan Abdyldaev in Kyrgyzstan, the two ministers also talked about the promotion of agricultural cooperation.

Apart from the traditional cooperation area, the two countries are also trying to expand their cooperation in such fields as agricultural industry zones and training, as part of their efforts to upgrade the cooperation model.

"The Chinese side has been rendering a lot of aid to Kyrgyzstan," having helped Kyrgyzstan train professionals and promote technical innovation in agriculture, where Kyrgyzstan has longed for China's investment and assistance, Kerimaliev said.

"The Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region of China is working closely with us and rendering assistance in the construction of greenhouses," one of the country's priorities in agricultural development, Kerimaliev said.

The official also said the two nations are discussing the establishment of logistics centers in Kyrgyzstan to promote the sale of its ecologically clean products.

"We want to export potatoes, and fruits like cherries, peaches and dried fruits too," he said, adding that currently the two countries are working on an agreement to export Kyrgyz meat products.

Agriculture is one of the most important areas in the Kyrgyz national economy, contributing 14 percent of the nation's gross domestic product last year and involving some 65 percent of its population. The government has included agricultural development in Kyrgyzstan's National Sustainable Development Strategy for 2013-2017. Endi