DUSHANBE, January 16, Asia-Plus — Signing of an Agreement on Good-neighborliness, Friendship and Cooperation has opened a new era for Tajik-Chinese ties, Tajik Ambassador to China Rashid Olimov remarked at a meeting with journalists in Beijing on January 15.
The news conference was dedicated to the first anniversary of signing of the Agreement on Good-neighborliness, Friendship and Cooperation between Tajikistan and China, which was inked by Tajik President Emomali Rahmon and his Chinese counterpart, President Hu Jintao, in Beijing on January 15, 2007.
The ambassador noted that a two-way trade between Tajikistan and China in 2007 exceeded $550 million, which was 62 percent more than in 2006.
Tajik diplomat stressed that Tajikistan and China re not only immediate neighbors but also trustworthy partners.
“Since January 4, `992, when diplomatic relations between Tajikistan and China were established, 104 bilateral cooperation documents have been signed between them,” said Olimov, “Among them are five joint declarations, two joint communiqués, five interstate agreements, 45 government-to-government and 34 interagency documents.
Olimov also outlined education as one of priorities of bilateral cooperation between the two countries. According to him, 63 Tajik students now study at higher educational institutions in China.
