New Delhi: The Chinese president, Xi Jinping, arrived in Bishkek on Sunday to attend the 26th Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) summit and begin a state visit to Kyrgyzstan, bringing him to the same regional forum that the prime minister, Narendra Modi, is scheduled to attend from August 31 to September 1. The summit is expected to bring together leaders of SCO member countries for discussions on regional and international issues.
The Chinese foreign ministry said Xi arrived in the Kyrgyz capital with his wife, Peng Liyuan, on a special aircraft on Sunday afternoon and was received at Manas International Airport by the Kyrgyz president, Sadyr Japarov, and his wife. Xi and Peng were welcomed with traditional performances and cultural displays, while youths also performed Chinese songs, according to the ministry.
According to the Chinese ministry statement, Xi said China and Kyrgyzstan had maintained stable ties over the 34 years since establishing diplomatic relations, with bilateral relations reaching the level of a comprehensive strategic partnership in the new era. He described recent years as a “golden period” for bilateral cooperation, citing rising trade and people-to-people exchanges and progress on major projects such as the China-Kyrgyzstan-Uzbekistan railway.
Xi said during his visit he would hold discussions with Japarov on bilateral relations, cooperation in various fields and international and regional issues of common concern. He also said he looked forward to attending the SCO summit and working with other member states to promote the organization’s further development.
According to the Prime Minister’s Office, Modi will participate in the 26th SCO summit in Kyrgyzstan from August 31 to September 1 after his August 29-30 visit to Uzbekistan. The summit is expected to provide an opportunity for leaders of the grouping to discuss regional security, connectivity and broader cooperation.
Xi’s arrival also comes days after a fresh round of India-China boundary talks in Beijing, where the national security advisor, Ajit Doval, and Chinese foreign minister, Wang Yi, the two countries’ special representatives on the boundary question, held their 25th round of talks on August 25 and reached an eight-point consensus. The consensus included an agreement to advance discussions on an “early and substantial harvest” concerning boundary delimitation and border management, improve mechanisms for handling situations along the line of actual control (LAC) and establish additional meeting points and military hotline channels.
The two sides also agreed to hold the next round of special representatives’ talks in India in 2027. Xi’s participation in the Bishkek summit therefore comes against the backdrop of renewed diplomatic engagement between India and China, with his presence at the SCO meeting also potentially providing an opportunity for high-level interaction with other regional leaders.
The Chinese president was accompanied by senior officials including Cai Qi and Wang Yi, while Chinese ambassador to Kyrgyzstan, Liu Jiangping, was also present at the airport to receive the delegation. Xi is expected to hold bilateral meetings with several SCO leaders on the sidelines of the summit.