BEIJING, June 10 (Xinhua) -- A Chinese trade official has called for more economic and trade cooperation between China and Kazakhstan.

Chen Zhou, vice-chairman of the China Council for the Promotion of International Trade, made the remarks at a meeting of the China-Kazakhstan Entrepreneurs Committee Friday.

He said Kazakhstan was an important partner for China in Eurasia and hoped the two governments would coordinate policies and development strategies, so that bilateral economic and trade cooperation could be enhanced.

"Chinese and Kazakhstan entrepreneurs and business people should uphold the 'Shanghai Spirit' to strengthen mutual benefit, trust and development between members of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO)," he said. "They should expand cooperation in economy, technologies and industrial capacity, and explore new technologies, models and businesses in green energy, food and agriculture, as well as cross-border logistics."

Chen also encouraged entrepreneurs and business people from both countries to "contribute to the building of a community with a shared future for humanity" and seek cooperation beyond the SCO.

Bilateral trade between China and Kazakhstan surged 37.4 percent to 18 billion U.S. dollars in 2017.