They agreed that the two nations will continue to expand and deepen their mutually-beneficial cooperation, safeguard common security and strive to achieve common development.

Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao (L) meets with his Kazakh counterpart Karim Masimov in Astana, capital of Kazakhstan, October 31, 2008. [Xinhua/Rao Aimin]

The two countries should intensify energy cooperation and ensure the completion of the China-Kazakhstan gas pipeline and the second phase of oil pipeline by the end of 2009, they added.

Moreover, the two sides also pledged to strengthen cooperation in ports, security and non-resources fields.

Leaders of the two nations signed a series of cooperative documents in such fields as customs, health, agriculture, banking, energy as well as science and technology.

On the utilization and protection of cross-border water resources, Wen said the Chinese side is willing to settle all the related issues with Kazakhstan based upon the win-win principle of mutual benefit.

Leaders of the two nations also exchanged views on the ongoing global financial crisis.

Wen reiterated that China is ready to work with Kazakhstan in offering mutual support and combating the crisis.

China supports efforts by enterprises from both sides to cooperate in a more flexible way in a bid to ease the impact of the financial turmoil, he added.

The Kazakh side said that it values and appreciates China's stance and role in the face of the financial crisis, adding that it hoped China could maintain its steady and rapid economic growth, which is critical to the region and the whole world at large.

Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao (C, front) addresses the 7th prime ministers' meeting of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) member countries in Astana, capital of Kazakhstan, October 30, 2008. [Xinhua]

Wen's visit has also promoted the SCO's confidence to deal with the ongoing global financial crisis, and boosted practical cooperation within the SCO framework, Yang said.

SCO member countries have increasingly realized that their long-term regional stability and common development can only be achieved through cooperation deepening and self-striving, said the foreign minister.

At the Dushanbe summit in August, heads of state of SCO members agreed to further boost the bloc's cooperation in politics, security, economy and culture. The task of this prime ministers' meeting was to fully implement the consensus reached at the summit.

Heads of governments of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) member states attend a press conference after the 7th prime ministers' meeting of the SCO member countries in Astana, capital of Kazakhstan, on October 30, 2008. Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao (2nd L) attended the meeting on Thursday. [Xinhua]

One of the meeting's major topics was the impacts of the ongoing financial crisis on SCO member countries. Premier Wen said the key factors for tackling the crisis are confidence, responsibility and cooperation. All SCO members should deliver a strong message to the world that they will unite together to cope with the crisis, stabilize finance and economy, and restore confidence in the market.

Wen said China, when ensuring its own economy's steady and fast development, is willing to communicate and coordinate with other SCO member countries.

The Chinese premier brought forward some specific proposals, saying governments of SCO members should use the cooperation mechanism between their central banks and economic management sectors to find measures to deal with the financial crisis bilaterally or multilaterally, and boost cooperation among SCO members' financial institutions to cope with the lack of liquidity in the financial market, strengthen financial supervision and ensure financial security.

Wen said SCO members can only fundamentally deal with various exterior risks and challenges after they strengthen their practical cooperation. He said SCO members should fully use their advantages such as vast land, huge population, rich natural resources, big market and advanced technology to expand their cooperation fields, increase cooperation effectiveness, facilitate their cooperation, and lay a sound foundation for the substantial economy.

Wen's views and proposals reflect the common wishes of all the parties, and have won widespread approval, said Yang.

All parties said they should make joint efforts, overcome current difficulties, push forward practical cooperation and boost their common sustainable development.

The prime ministers' meeting adopted many cooperation documents, which cover wide-ranging fields and fully embody China's stance and views.

Yang said international media have released many objective and positive reports on Wen's visit.

The reports said the visits have further deepened China-Russia and China-Kazakhstan friendly cooperation, and China has played an important role in promoting the SCO members' cooperation in dealing with the global financial crisis, the foreign minister noted.

(Xinhua News Agency November 1, 2008)