DUSHANBE, August 24, 2011, Asia-Plus -- President Emomali Rahmon met here yesterday with Zhang Chunxian, Secretary of Xinjiang Regional Committee of the Communist Party of China (CPC).

According to the presidential press service, the two considered a number of issues related to state and prospects of further expansion of cooperation between Tajikistan and the Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region (XUAR) of China.

XUAR now accounts for some 60 percent of a two-way trade between Tajikistan and China.  Taking into account the fact that some 70 percent of commodity circulation between Tajikistan and China is conducted through the Kulma border crossing, the sides pointed to the necessity of organizing twelve-month functioning of this crossing, the source noted.

Rahmon and Zhang outlined sectors like industry, tourism, industry, construction and agriculture, as areas of which could drive the bilateral trade between Tajikistan and China.