ALMATY, Oct. 26 - Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao's upcoming visit to Kazakhstan will be a milestone in bilateral efforts to boost cooperation, said Kazakh Prime Minister Karim Masimov in a recent interview with key Chinese media.

China holds strategic importance in Kazakhstan's foreign policy, and Kazakhstan will never forget that China was one of the first countries to recognize its independence. Thanks to many years' efforts, the Sino-Kazakh relations have reached a very high level. 

Wen's upcoming visit is an important, content-rich visit, and will surely deepen bilateral cooperation in an all-round way, the prime minister added.

The Kazakh side hopes to cooperate with China in such fields as energy, the construction of natural gas pipelines, asphalt factories, digital TV, and the exploitation of electricity and water resources.

Masimov also said the Chinese and Kazakh economic structures are complimentary and bilateral trade cooperation has huge potential. In the first half of this year, two-way trade volume exceeded 10 billion U.S. dollars. 

While appreciating China's support for his country's development, Masimov also expressed his country's support for China's fight against the three evil forces of separatism, extremism and terrorism. 

He said the heads of state of the two countries have maintained friendly ties, which have boosted the development of the relations between the two governments and the two peoples. 

Kazakhstan welcomes investment from China and also encourages Kazakh enterprises to invest in China, he went on to say. 

The current global financial crisis that was originated in the United States was the most serious one in 30 years, and will inflict lasting impact on the all the economic systems in the world. 

Under this circumstance, it is all the more important for Kazakhstan to enhance bilateral cooperation China, the prime minister noted. 

Chinese Premier Wen is scheduled to pay official visits to Russia and Kazakhstan on Oct. 27-31, during which he will also attend the 13th regular meeting between Chinese and Russian prime ministers in Moscow and the 7th prime ministers' meeting of Shanghai Cooperation Organization member countries in Astana, capital city of Kazakhstan.