By Zhang Maorong, researcher with the International Economics Department, China Institute of Contemporary International Relations; cartoon drawing by Liao Tingting.

In this lovely mid-summer month of June, all living things are flourishing. Chinese President Xi Jinping pays a state visit to Kazakhstan, dubbed as "the land of the great steppe" from June 7-10. Xi held talks with his Kazakh counterpart President Nursultan Nazarbayev on Thursday. They had reached a broad consensus.

The two heads of state issued a China-Kazakhstan joint statement and witnessed the signing of a series of important bilateral cooperation documents, injecting fresh vigor for facilitating the Kazakhstan-China comprehensive strategic partnership, as well as all-round cooperation. President Xi's visit focuses on accelerating the alignment of development strategies and all-round cooperation of the two countries. It was during Xi's first visit to Kazakhstan back in 2013 that he proposed the initiative of the Silk Road Economic Belt, which started the process of Belt and Road cooperation.

On basis of the development of bilateral ties by leaps and bounds, the two heads of state have mapped out plans to facilitate the Kazakhstan-China comprehensive strategic partnership and all-round cooperation. The joint statement covers a long list of cooperation projects, offering a great blueprint and charting the course for cooperation.

These efforts will lift China-Kazakhstan cooperation to higher and deeper levels, enhance the common development and prosperity of both nations, and promote the realization of the Chinese dream of great national rejuvenation and the "Kazakh dream" of national renewal and prosperity.

President Xi's visit will propel the China-Kazakhstan relations to fly high toward their shared aspirations and usher in an even better future!