"China-Kazakhstan relationship holds an important position in China's foreign relations," Hu said in a meeting with Kazakh President Nursultan Nazarbayev on the eve of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) summit on Thursday.

Hu hailed the sound development of China-Kazakhstan ties, citing remarkable achievements in politics, economy and trade, energy, security and culture.

Chinese President Hu Jintao told Tajik President Emomali Rakhmonov here yesterday that China is ready to be Tajikistan's good neighbor, good friend and good partner.

The two presidents met on the eve of Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) summit slated for Thursday.

Hu hailed China-Tajikistan relations, saying that bilateral cooperation in economy, trade, transportation, telecommunication and business projects has yielded new results over the past year and the two countries have maintained coordination in regional and international affairs.

Chinese President Hu Jintao yesterday vowed to strengthen coordination and support for the work of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization Regional Anti-Terrorism Structure (RATS).

Hu made the remarks while meeting with his Uzbek counterpart Islam Karimov, who arrived in the Chinese economic hub Wednesday to attend the SCO summit scheduled on Thursday.

"To fight the 'three evil forces' including the 'East Turkistan' force and safeguard security and stability in the region is in the common interests of China and Uzbekistan, as well as all the other countries there," he said.