SANYA -- Chinese President Xi Jinping and his Kazakh counterpart Nursultan Nazarbayev agreed on Saturday to maintain close exchanges and promote cooperation between the two countries.

The two leaders made the pledges during their talks over bilateral ties in Sanya of south China's Hainan Province.

They also agreed to jointly formulate a plan for the future development of the bilateral relations.

Xi spoke highly of Nazarbayev's long-term efforts regarding China-Kazakstan friendship and his personal contributions to boosting bilateral relations.

"I'm willing to establish closer working relations and personal friendship with you via various means," Xi told his guest.

Xi noted China and Kazakstan, as good neighbors, friends and partners, have established close coordination on international affairs and jointly promoted the development of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO).

"China and Kazakstan, both at key stages of their development, share many similar goals and common interests, and have huge potential for cooperation," Xi said.

China will always prioritize Kazakstan in its foreign policies and is willing to make concerted efforts to maintain close exchanges between head of the state of the two countries, to jointly plan the future development of bilateral relations and to push for cooperation between two countries, Xi said.

Xi called on both sides to make good plans for cooperation in economic and trade, as well as energy resources, and make all out efforts to carry out oil and natural gas pipelines and oil fields projects.

The two sides should also enhance comprehensively cooperation in communication and expand collaboration in agriculture, mutual investment and finance sectors, Xi said.

Nazarbayev said the two countries have supported each other and maintained mutual understanding since the establishment of diplomatic relations 21 years ago, especially after the China-Kazakstan strategic partnership was formed.

He said Kazakhstan would firmly back China to help realize its "Chinese Dream" of the great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation.

The Kazakh president also expressed his hope that two nations could step up their cooperation in the sectors of energy, transportation and agriculture, and work closer in multilateral frameworks such as the SCO and the Conference on Interaction and Confidence-Building Measures in Asia in a bid to jointly promote regional peace and stability.

The two leaders witnessed the signing of a series of cooperation agreements after the talks. Xi also held a red-carpet welcome ceremony for Nazarbayev prior to their talks.

Visiting China as Xi's guest, Nazarbayev will also attend the opening ceremony of the Boao Forum for Asia Annual Conference on Sunday in south China's Hainan Province.