ASTANA - Chinese President Hu Jintao met with his Tajik counterpart Emomali Rahmon on Tuesday, one day before an annual summit of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO).

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During the meeting, the two leaders exchanged views on bilateral relations and other major issues of common interest.

Over the past year, new progress has been made in China-Tajikistan friendly and cooperative relations, the Chinese president said, citing strengthened political mutual trust and expanded cooperation in various fields.

The two countries have also carried out good cooperation within multilateral frameworks including the United Nations and the SCO, he said.

The Chinese side places great importance on developing its relations with Tajikistan and is willing to be the most trustworthy neighbor, partner and friend of Tajikistan, Hu said.

He added that China will, as always, support Tajikistan's efforts in safeguarding national security and stability and in promoting economic growth.

Meanwhile, Hu said that pragmatic cooperation between China and Tajikistan is highly complementary and has a promising prospect, adding two sides have achieved remarkable results in bilateral cooperation in recent years.

China is ready to work with Tajikistan to deepen cooperation in such areas as trade, economy, infrastructure development, mining, telecommunication and agriculture, Hu said.

The president urged the two sides to continue implementing large-scale cooperation projects.

He also said they should strengthen exchanges and cooperation in agricultural production, product processing and technology by setting up agricultural cooperation parks in Tajikistan, adding that agricultural departments of the two countries should further strengthen cooperation.

As a close and friendly neighbor of Tajikistan, China sincerely hoped that the Central Asian region could maintain sustained peace and common prosperity, he said, adding China is ready to work with Tajikistan and other countries in the region to this end.

Rahmon, for his part, said Tajikistan is committed to advancing friendly cooperation with China in an all-round way, noting its relations with China is and will always be the priority of Tajikistan's foreign policy.

The Tajik president said the two countries have developed a relationship based on mutual trust, expressing satisfaction over their coordination in bilateral and multilateral fields.

He said the Tajik side is ready to work with China to strengthen pragmatic cooperation in trade, economy, agriculture and transport so as to push bilateral ties to a higher level.

Rahmon also reiterated Tajikistan's firm adherence to the one China policy and determination in combating drug trafficking and the "three forces" of terrorism, extremism and separatism.

Both Hu and Rahmon are scheduled to attend the SCO summit in Astana Wednesday.

Founded on June 15, 2001, the SCO groups China, Russia, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan and Uzbekistan.

In the past decade, the SCO has played a strong role in safeguarding its member states' right to peaceful development, promoting regional security and stability and enhancing mutually beneficial and win-win cooperation.