He made the remarks when meeting with cultural ministers from the SCO member states during their fifth meeting in Bishkek.

As culture stands as the fundamental booster for a country’s prosperity, the Kyrgyz government has placed great importance on the development of culture and poured a huge amount of money into cultural infrastructure construction, said Chudinov.

The SCO member states, with profound cultural and historic links, should make joint efforts to promote such links and let them serve as the cornerstone for friendly neighborliness.

Chinese Minister of Culture Cai Wu, on behalf of his Uzbek, Russian, Tajik and Kazak counterparts, expressed the ministers’ appreciation of Chudinov’s welcoming.

Cai said China and Kyrgyzstan, with a long history of cultural exchange and solid foundations for friendship, have made remarkable achievements in boosting cultural ties in recent years through the two sides’ joint efforts.

China is scheduled to hold Kyrgyz Cultural Day in Beijing in late September and has invited Central Asian artists to participate in the 10th Asian Art Festival scheduled for the same period in the Chinese city of Zhengzhou, in Henan Province.

The SCO, comprising China, Russia, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan and Uzbekistan, was established on June 15, 2001, to boost regional cooperation and stability.