President of Kazakhstan Kassym-Jomart Tokayev (R) and his predecessor Nursultan Nazarbayev attend a joint session of the houses of parliament in Astana, Kazakhstan March 20, 2019. [Photo/Agencies]

Foreign Ministry spokesman Geng Shuang said on Wednesday that China understands Nursultan Nazarbayev's decision to resign as Kazakhstan's president, and expressed confidence in the development of bilateral ties.

"President Nazarbayev is the founder of the Republic of Kazakhstan and a national leader acclaimed by all Kazakhstan's people," Geng said in a daily news conference.

Nazarbayev has consistently been committed to the friendship between China and Kazakhstan, promoted the construction of their comprehensive strategic partnership, as well as supported and took active part in building the Belt and Road Initiative, and China highly appreciates these efforts, Geng said.

President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev is "an old and good friend well-known to Chinese people,” Geng said, adding that China hopes and believes that Kazakhstan's cause of national development will keep progressing. "We wish prosperity for the friendly Kazakhstan," he said.

China and Kazakhstan are each other's important neighbors, and bilateral ties are developing at a high level, Geng said.

"It is in line with both countries' interests as well as a common understanding of their people to deepen the comprehensive bilateral cooperation," he said. "China is fully confident in its ties with Kazakhstan as well as the prospect of bilateral cooperation."