BEIJING: The China-Kyrgyzstan cooperation has ushered in a “golden period” of rapid development, Chinese President Xi Jinping said on Sunday as he landed in Bishkek for the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) Summit 2026 and a state visit to Kyrgyzstan, the Xinhua News Agency reported.
Upon arrival, Kyrgyz President Sadyr Japarov and his wife welcomed Xi and his wife, Peng Liyuan, at Manas International Airport.
According to Xinhua, Kyrgyz honor guards on horseback welcomed the Chinese President.
Kazinform International News Agency, the leading news agency in Kazakhstan, reported that as part of the official welcome ceremony, the national flags of Kyrgyzstan and China were raised, an honor guard was formed, and a red carpet was rolled out.
The ceremony featured performances by a military orchestra and the Dobulbaschylar ensemble. The guests of honor were also greeted by komuz players (a traditional stringed instrument), dance groups, and representatives of the traditional hunting culture known as Salbuurun.
Also, video footage by the state broadcaster CCTV showed that traditional felt yurts lined the red carpet, highlighting local customs in Kyrgyzstan, a Central Asian country known as the “nation on horseback.” Eagle trainers also showcased golden eagles during the traditional ceremony.
China and Kyrgyzstan are linked by mountains and rivers. They not only share a common border, but also a common aspiration for peaceful development, a common pursuit of national rejuvenation, and a firm determination to safeguard their common interests in the face of a complex international situation. It is precisely these weighty “commons” that led Kyrgyzstan to welcome the Chinese guests with such a high level of protocol – a natural expression of brotherly partners whose hearts and efforts are aligned as one, Liu Xinlu, vice president of the Beijing Foreign Studies University, told the Global Times on Sunday.
Djoomart Otorbaev, former prime minister of Kyrgyzstan, told the Global Times on Sunday that the country appreciates the role China plays in cooperation with Kyrgyzstan. That is why Kyrgyzstan prepared such a special ceremony. “We try to show our kind feelings toward the leader of great China,” he said.
Gao Wanni, deputy dean of the School of Politics and International Relations at Lanzhou University, who was in Bishkek on Sunday, told the Global Times that while the red carpet and honor guard are standard arrangements for a state visit, the fact that Kyrgyz President and his wife personally went to the airport to welcome the Chinese President and his wife and received them with a relatively complete display of traditional Kyrgyz ceremonial customs, underscores the high importance the Kyrgyz side attaches to the visit
–The Daily Mail-Global Times news exchange item
