In 2013, the People's Republic of China and the Kyrgyz Republic established a strategic partnership, bringing their bilateral relations to a new high.
High-level exchanges between the two countries were frequent. Political mutual trust was further consolidated. From 10 to 13 September, President Xi Jinping paid his first state visit to Kyrgyzstan and attended the Bishkek Summit of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO). He held talks with President Almazbek Atambayev, and had meetings with Prime Minister Jantoro Satybaldiev and Parliament Speaker Asylbek Jeenbekov respectively. The two presidents signed and issued the Joint Declaration on the Establishment of a Strategic Partnership Between the People's Republic of China and the Kyrgyz Republic, taking the bilateral relationship to a new strategic level. The two presidents also witnessed the signing of seven important cooperation documents on energy, transport, finance and other sectors between competent authorities and companies of the two countries. On 29 November, Premier Li Keqiang met with Prime Minister Satybaldiev on the sidelines of the 12th Meeting of the SCO Council of Heads of Government. On 2 September, Vice President Li Yuanchao met with Kyrgyz Prime Minister Satybaldiev on the sidelines of the Third China-Eurasia Expo. From 28 April to 1 May, State Councilor and Minister of Public Security Guo Shengkun visited Kyrgyzstan and attended the Eighth Meeting of Secretaries of Security Councils of the SCO. From 24 to 27 June, State Councilor and Defense Minister General Chang Wanquan visited Kyrgyzstan and attended the SCO Defense Ministers' Meeting.
Business cooperation was carried out smoothly. Bilateral trade grew steadily, with productive cooperation in the energy sector. The two sides signed the Cooperation Agreement on the Construction and Operation of Natural Gas Pipelines Between the People's Republic of China and the Kyrgyz Republic, and agreed to build the Kyrgyzstan section of the China- Central Asia Natural Gas Pipeline D, the biggest strategic cooperation project between the two countries since the establishment of diplomatic relations. Cooperation in connectivity made new progress. A number of projects were officially launched, including the power network enhancement project in southern Kyrgyzstan, Datka-Kemin power transmission and transformation project, phase two of the Osh-Batkan-Isfana road project, roads linking different sections of the Ysyk-Kol Road, and other road renovation projects.
People-to-people and cultural exchanges continued to expand. In June, the third Confucius Institute in Kyrgyzstan was established at Osh University, as the Kyrgyz young people have become more enthusiastic about learning Chinese. In September, the "Along the Silk Road" Song and Dance Troupe from China's Gansu Province gave a performance in Kyrgyzstan on the eve of the SCO Summit, and the "Peace Tour" organizing committee held a major international fine art exhibition during the summit. The Kyrgyz people were fascinated by Chinese traditional culture.
