ASTANA -- China hopes to sign an agreement with Kazakhstan in the near future to simplify work visa application for Chinese citizens, Chinese Vice-Minister of Commerce Jiang Yaopin said Tuesday at a meeting of the Kazakh-Chinese subcommittee on trade and economic cooperation in Astana.

"My ministry is actively promoting the intergovernmental agreement with Kazakhstan on temporary employment. I hope that we can reach a consensus on this agreement through our joint efforts," he said.

Jiang said in recent years Chinese companies have been facing "complicated and time consuming procedures as well as high costs of obtaining Kazakhstan's entry visas and labor permits, that impede joint projects."

"We ask the Kazakh side with regard to our bilateral relations to provide favorable terms for issuing visas and work permits for our citizens in the best interest of our mutual investments and trade," said Jiang.

Kazakh officials at the meeting said Kazakhstan is willing to solve the issue in the spirit of friendship, mutual benefits and win-win cooperation.