Xi Jinping: China supports Kazakhstan's accession to BRICS

ASTANA. July 3 (Interfax) - China supports Kazakhstan's intention to become a member of the BRICS international organization, Chinese President Xi Jinping said.

"China supports Kazakhstan's accession to BRICS, supports Kazakhstan as one of the world's middle powers with its growing role and ability to make a worthy contribution to world affairs and global governance," Xi said at a press briefing following talks with Kazakh President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev.

China intends to continue its close cooperation with Kazakhstan in international issues, "intensifying coordination within multilateral associations such as the UN, the [Shanghai Cooperation Organization] SCO and the China-Central Asia format," he said.

"We will jointly translate into reality initiatives related to global development, global security and global civilization. We will promote an equal and ordered multipolar world system, generally accessible and inclusive economic globalization. We will jointly protect the common interests of our countries and of the whole developing world," Xi said.

China and Kazakhstan stand at the origins of the SCO, Xi said, noting "the considerable contribution of the Kazakh [SCO] presidency to promoting original cooperation and developing the SCO's activities."

"Beyond any doubt, tomorrow's Astana summit will certainly be a complete success and will raise our organization's work to a new level," he said.

"We all agree that China and Kazakhstan are going through the stages of national development and revival, simultaneously moving along the modernization path. We will develop and amplify the existing tradition of mutual support, continuously strengthen political mutual trust and facilitate the cohesion of the national development strategies," Xi said.