Chairman of the Cabinet of Ministers of Kyrgyzstan Adylbek Kasymaliev met with China’s Minister of Defense, State Councilor Admiral Dong Jun, in Bishkek.
The talks took place at Yntymak Ordo. The sides discussed the development of Kyrgyzstan — China cooperation, noting that bilateral ties have significantly intensified in recent years following agreements at the level of leaders — Sadyr Japarov and Xi Jinping.
Adylbek Kasymaliev stressed that Kyrgyzstan has demonstrated steady economic growth over the past five years, with Chinese investment playing an important role.
«Kyrgyzstan attaches particular importance to developing cooperation with China and views it as one of its key strategic partners. We aim to further deepen cooperation in trade and economic, scientific and technical, cultural and humanitarian spheres, as well as in security and defense,» he said.
For his part, Dong Jun conveyed greetings from Chinese Premier Li Qiang and reaffirmed Beijing’s interest in expanding bilateral cooperation, including in the military and security domains.
It was noted that the Chinese defense chief arrived in Kyrgyzstan to take part in a meeting of Defense Ministers of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization, which will be held in Bishkek. In 2026, Kyrgyzstan holds the SCO chairmanship.
Who is Dong Jun?
Dong Jun has served as China’s Minister of National Defense since December 2023 and holds the rank of admiral in the navy.
He was born in December 1961 in Yantai and built his military career within the Navy of the People’s Liberation Army of China, rising from officer positions to senior command roles.
Over the years, he held various command and staff positions, including assignments related to the southern strategic direction and the South China Sea. In 2021, he was appointed commander of the Chinese Navy.
In December 2023, he became China’s Defense Minister, the first to come from a naval background. Experts have linked his appointment to the growing role of maritime forces in Beijing’s strategy and increased focus on maritime security.
As defense minister, he represents China in international negotiations, holds meetings with foreign delegations, and participates in security forums.
However, key military decisions in China are made by the Central Military Commission, chaired by Xi Jinping.
