Premier Li Qiang met with Kazakh Prime Minister Olzhas Bektenov in Shanghai on Monday, who is in the Chinese city to attend the 7th China International Import Expo (CIIE). During the meeting, Li recalled President Xi Jinping's state visit to Kazakhstan in July, where new frameworks for bilateral relations were established. He reiterated China's commitment to implementing the shared vision of the two heads of state. He also emphasized political trust and mutual support on each other's core interests.
Li called for expanding China-Kazakhstan cooperation in trade, industrial investment, connectivity, and cultural exchanges.
Bektenov noted that Kazakhstan-China relations have reached a record high in recent years under the strategic guidance of the two heads of state.
Kazakhstan attaches great importance to its relations with China and is willing to further strengthen high-level exchanges with China, deepen cooperation on trade, investment, agriculture, transportation, science and technology, culture and education, and strengthen connectivity within the framework of Belt and Road cooperation, said Bektenov.
The two leaders witnessed the signing of a series of cooperation documents after their meeting.
Chinese premier meets Kazakh PM, calling for enhanced cooperation
Chinese premier meets Kazakh PM, calling for enhanced cooperation
The Xiamen-Kinmen Bridge (Xiamen section) entered a new phase of marine construction on Monday morning, marked by the completion of the east tower's piling work of the Liuwudian Channel Bridge, a pivotal component of the project, in Xiamen of Fujian Province in east China.
The Xiamen-Kinmen Bridge (Xiamen section) spans 17.34 km and is designed to link the Xiamen island with the Xiamen Xiang'an International Airport that is currently under construction. The Liuwudian Channel Bridge is the province's first offshore suspension bridge and largest span bridge with a total length of 1,948 meters and a main span of 928 meters in length.
The pile foundation of the east bridge tower was completed on Monday after four months of work, while that of the west one is expected to finish at the end of this month.
Confronted with complex geological conditions and the challenge of transporting materials to the offshore construction site, the team newly built a large-scale mixing station and employed six rotary drilling rigs which operated around the clock.
With a total investment of 37.27 billion yuan (about 5.12 billion U.S. dollars), the Xiamen-Kinmen Bridge (Xiamen section) will become the most efficient connection between the Xiamen island and the Xiang'an Airport. Once completed, it will ease traffic congestion and greatly enhance transport efficiency in the region.
The Xiamen-Kinmen Bridge (Xiamen section) started construction in October 2023, and is expected to be completed simultaneously with the Xiang'an Airport Expressway in 2026.
Kinmen is an important hub for interaction across the Taiwan Strait. Growing trade and commercial links between Kinmen and Xiamen have made the building of the bridge a common desire of many people in the region.
Xiamen-Kinmen Bridge enters marine construction stage
