DUSHANBE, July 6 – Chinese President Xi Jinping on Friday awarded Tajik President Emomali Rahmon the Friendship Medal of the People’s Republic of China in Dushanbe, the capital of Tajikistan.
It is the first time the award has been presented outside of China.
Xi is on a state visit to Tajikistan after attending a summit of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization in Astana and paying a state visit to Kazakhstan.
“President Rahmon and I have met 15 times. We enjoy a good working relationship and a deep personal friendship as we jointly guide the development of China-Tajikistan relations,” Xi said in a signed article published on Friday on Tajik media.
Xi had received the Order of the Crown, Tajikistan’s highest decoration, from Rahmon in June 2019. During the ceremony held at the presidential palace back then, Rahmon spoke highly of Xi’s positive contributions to the development of Tajikistan-China relations, saying he was ready to work together with Xi to guide bilateral relations toward greater achievements.
In the Tajik language, the word “Taj” means “crown.” Noting that the Order of the Crown embodies the profound friendship the people of Tajikistan have kept with the people of China, Xi said he attaches great significance to the decoration.
