Zhao Leji, chairman of the National People's Congress (NPC) Standing Committee, holds talks with Rustam Emomali, chairman of the National Assembly of Tajikistan, at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing, capital of China, Aug 21, 2023. [Xinhua/Li Tao]

BEIJING -- China's top legislator Zhao Leji Monday held talks with Rustam Emomali, chairman of the National Assembly of Tajikistan, calling for enhanced exchanges between the parliaments of the two countries.

Zhao, chairman of the National People's Congress (NPC) Standing Committee, said that in May this year, the two heads of state jointly announced the building of a China-Tajikistan community with a shared future featuring everlasting friendship, solidarity, and mutual benefit, drawing up a new blueprint for bilateral ties.

China stands ready to work with Tajikistan to implement the important consensus reached by the two heads of state, strengthen strategic mutual trust, deepen practical cooperation, enhance people-to-people exchanges, safeguard common security, advance international coordination, and advance bilateral relations, Zhao said.

He added that China thanks Tajikistan for its long-standing firm support on issues concerning China's core interests and major concerns, including Taiwan, Xinjiang, Hong Kong, and human rights, and will continue to support Tajikistan in pursuing a development path suited to its national conditions.

Zhao said that China and Tajikistan achieved fruitful results on the Belt and Road cooperation, and, in recent years, the two sides have overcome the adverse impact of the epidemic and shown strong resilience and vitality in economic and trade cooperation.

"We hope to deepen cooperation in traditional fields such as the economy, trade, investment, connectivity, and agriculture and open up cooperation in innovative areas such as the digital economy and artificial intelligence," he said.

He called on the two sides to run Confucius Institutes and Luban Workshops well, promote local cooperation, consolidate popular support for lasting friendship, deepen cooperation on combating the "three forces" and drug crimes, and jointly safeguard regional peace and stability.

The NPC of China is willing to work with the National Assembly of Tajikistan to strengthen exchanges at all levels and deepen cooperation on legislation and supervision to provide a solid legal guarantee for the development of bilateral relations, Zhao said, calling on the two sides to strengthen communication and coordination in international and regional parliamentary organizations to safeguard the common interests of developing countries.

Rustam Emomali said Tajikistan firmly abides by the one-China policy, and Tajikistan's National Assembly is willing to strengthen friendly exchanges with the NPC of China and make unremitting efforts to promote the building of a community with a shared future between Tajikistan and China.

Zhao Leji, chairman of the National People's Congress (NPC) Standing Committee, and Rustam Emomali, chairman of the National Assembly of Tajikistan, sign an agreement on the cooperation between China's NPC and the National Assembly of Tajikistan after their talks at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing, capital of China, Aug 21, 2023. [Xinhua/Li Tao]