During his meeting with the Chinese president, Tasmagambetov said his country is adjusting its economic structure in a bid to gradually change the resources-exporting economy into a manufacturing one and accelerate agricultural reform.

This provides an opportunity for further economic and trade cooperation between China and Kazakhstan, Tasmagambetov said, adding that Kazakhstan welcomes China's participation in its economic adjustment and development.

Hu spoke highly of Kazakhstan's fast economic growth in recent years.

The economic and trade cooperation between the two sides have developed rapidly and achieved great results, he said.

He expressed the hope that the two sides will expand economic and technological cooperation within the framework of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization, as well as cooperation in transportation, manufacturing and other fields.

Meeting Senate (Upper House) Chairman Oralbai Abdykarimov and Mazhlis (Lower House) Chairman Zharmakhan Tuyakbayev, Hu said both China's National People's Congress and Kazakhstan's parliament play important roles in the political affairs of their own countries.

Hu proposed the legislative bodies of the two countries increase contacts and learn from each other.

The Chinese president also briefed Abdykarimov and Tuyakbayev about China's efforts in fighting severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS), stressing that China has the determination, confidence and capability to win the combat against it.

Both Abdykarimov and Tuyakbayev promised that the two houses of the Kazakh parliament would make more efforts to contribute to further development of relations between the two countries.

The Chinese president arrived here on Monday for a two-day state visit to Kazakhstan.

On Tuesday, Hu held talks with Kazakh President Nursultan Nazarbayev, and both leaders signed a joint declaration on closer cooperation between the two countries.

(Xinhua News Agency June 4, 2003)