A vendor sells dried fruits and nuts in Dushanbe, capital of Tajikistan, June 10, 2019. (Photo: Xinhua)

China's trade and economic relations with Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan are steadily progressing and Beijing expects to reach cooperation agreements with the two Central Asian countries in sectors such as investment, trade, agriculture, technology, culture and tourism, Chinese officials said on Thursday. 

The comments were made in connection with Chinese President Xi Jinping's state visits to Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan.

"The visits will prompt more pragmatic cooperation between China and Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan in the trade and investment areas. This will also inject new vitality into the joint construction of the Belt and Road Initiative," Gao Feng, the spokesperson for the Ministry of Commerce, said at a press briefing in Beijing on Thursday.

China has been the largest trading partner of Kyrgyzstan for years, said Gao. 

In 2018, bilateral trade reached $5.61 billion, with agricultural imports from Kyrgyzstan totaling $13.15 million, according to data from Ministry of Commerce. 

Meanwhile, China's investment in Kyrgyzstan exceeded $2.75 billion as of April 2019, making China the largest source of investment in Kyrgyzstan. 

Chinese companies' projects in Kyrgyzstan, such as highways and power transmission and transformation, helped the country to achieve energy independence and road connectivity, which in turn boosted local economic development, Gao said. 

China's relations with Tajikistan are also at the "best moment in history," Gao said.  

China is the third-largest trading partner of Tajikistan, with bilateral trade reaching $1.51 billion in 2018. 

"Tajik agricultural products such as cherries, dried apricots, almonds and walnuts are now being exported to China, satisfying diversified consumer demand," Gao said. 

Chinese companies' investment in Tajikistan has also helped transform the country from an agricultural-led nation to an industrial-led nation, Gao added.