China and Kazakhstan have agreed to promote strategic cooperation in international and regional affairs to create better external condition for their own development, according to a joint statement issued on Friday.

The two agreed to boost cooperation in multilateral platforms like the United Nations, Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO), and the Conference on Interaction and Confidence-Building Measures in Asia (CICA), which will be conducive to world peace, stability and development, says the statement.

The statement reaffirmed the UN has played an important role in safeguarding world peace and stability.

"The UN reform should extend the representativeness of developing countries, and ensure the right of medium-sized and small- countries to participate in UN decisions," the statement said.

The two countries also agreed to crack down on the "three evil forces" of terrorism, separatism and extremism as well as trans-national crimes and drug trafficking, so as to deal with security threats in the region and world, according to the statement.

The two countries will continue close cooperation in the SCO framework, and support the memorandum of understanding signed between the SCO and the CICA, said the statement.

The two sides call upon the international community to help Afghanistan consolidate its regime, and improve the rule of law, so as to achieve post-war economic recovery, said the joint statement.

The statement noted China understands Kazakhstan's aspiration of joining in the regional forum of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations(ASEAN).

The statement said China is considering sending a delegation to attend the world and traditional religious leader's conference in July of 2009.

The joint statement was issued during Kazakhstan's President Nursultan Nazarbayev's state visit to China.

(Xinhua News Agency April 17, 2009)