From May 18 to 19, the China-Central Asia Summit will be held in Xi'an, Shaanxi Province, and the presidents of the five Central Asian countries will be invited to attend. Among them, President Tokayev of Kazakhstan, President Zaparov of Kyrgyzstan, President Rahmon of Tajikistan and President Mirziyoyev of Uzbekistan paid a state visit to China from May 16 to 20. In January this year, Turkmenistan President Berdymukhamedov paid a visit to China first.
This is the first major home diplomatic event on the mainland this year, and it is also the first time that the heads of state of the six countries have held a summit in physical form since the establishment of diplomatic relations between China and the five Central Asian countries 31 years ago.
Some Kazakh scholars pointed out that the trade volume between Kazakhstan and China has increased steadily in recent years, and it is believed that this summit will open a new chapter in cooperation between Central Asian countries and China. Some Kyrgyz media believe that in view of the current geopolitical situation, this summit will be another step to weaken the influence of the United States and its Western allies in Central Asia.
On July 21, 2022, in Chorpon Atta, Kyrgyzstan, the presidents of the five Central Asian countries attended the Fourth Central Asian Summit Source: The Paper Image Platform
"China has made great contributions to the integration of Central Asian countries into the world economy"
Kazakh President Tokayev recently gave an exclusive interview to CCTV, Kazakhstan's "Astana Times" quoted relevant reports as saying that Tokayev stressed the importance of economic relations between the two countries and recognized China's key role as one of Kazakhstan's main trading partners. Tokayev also stressed the enduring strategic partnership between Kazakhstan and China, saying that China occupies a very important position in Kazakhstan's foreign policy and bilateral relations are "open and sincere."
According to the report, Tokayev also said in the interview that he has high expectations for the upcoming summit, and China is playing an increasingly important role in Central Asia, and I believe that Central Asian countries will agree with him. The Central Asian region benefits from relations with China and will do its utmost to promote such cooperation.
According to the Turkmenistan State News Agency, President Berdymukhamedov thanked the Chinese side for inviting him to the China-Central Asia summit. He said that steadily developing and strengthening relations with China with increasingly rich connotations is one of the priorities of Turkey's foreign policy. Kyrgyzstan's Akipress News Agency said on the 16th that during President Zaparov's visit to China, he will discuss with Chinese leaders to deepen and expand cooperation between the two countries.
Kazakhstan's Jibek Joly TV channel reported on May 15 that Bekzhan Sadikov, head of the Department of Global Economy and Sustainable Development of the Kazakhstan Institute for Strategic Studies, said in an interview that the trade volume between Kazakhstan and China has been steadily rising, exceeding $24 billion last year (observer's note, statistics from the General Administration of Customs of China are $31.2 billion), "I believe that the upcoming China-Central Asia Summit will open a new chapter in cooperation between Central Asian countries and China and strengthen partnership in key areas." This includes the development of transport infrastructure. ”
Screenshot of the website of the Jibek Joly TV channel
Kyrgyzstan news website "tuz.kg" quoted the country's political scientist Shestakov on the 12th as saying that in the past 30 years, China has become one of the major trading and economic partners in Central Asia, and through the construction of the "Belt and Road", it has made great contributions to the integration of countries in the region into the global economy.
Shestakov pointed out that the Chinese leadership constantly emphasizes the line of commitment to the peaceful development of the country, which has a significant impact on the establishment of good-neighborly and friendly relations with Kyrgyzstan and other Central Asian countries.
Tajikistan's Avesta news agency (AVESTA) published an article by its Beijing-based commentator on international affairs on May 12, pointing out that the first Central Asia-China face-to-face summit is about to open in Xi'an, and it was from here that Zhang Qian, the envoy of the Han Dynasty, set out to begin his "Central Asian mission" two thousand years ago.
A China-Central Asia summit-themed installation photographed on the streets of Xi'an on May 16 Source: Xinhua News Agency, Beijing, May 16, 2023
As developing countries, the five Central Asian countries and China all have a strong desire to improve people's lives. Tajikistan was the first of the five Central Asian countries to sign a Belt and Road cooperation document with China, followed by four other countries. Ten years on, the Central Asian countries remain committed to this partnership with China.
The Harbin News Agency reported in April this year that the Chinese government intends to conclude a mutual visa exemption agreement between Kazakhstan. Under the new rules, travelers entering visa-free will have a stay of 30 days after entry. The agreement will be signed on May 18-19 during the Kazakh president's state visit to China.
"China's advantages are incomparable to those of the United States"
In a May 3 opinion piece in the Astana Times, author Assel Nusupova wrote that China's relations with Kazakhstan and other Central Asian countries have attracted much attention recently. She mentioned that in May this year, Xi'an, China, will host the first face-to-face Central Asia-China summit.
The article pointed out that the history of exchanges between China and Kazakhstan has a long history, and today, Kazakhstan's economic situation is still closely related to China.
This year marks the 10th anniversary of the Belt and Road Initiative. "Economic cooperation, especially under the Belt and Road Initiative, has the potential to be a turning point in China's relationship with Central Asia," the article reads. This will bring positive and tangible results to the region, balancing the competition for influence among the great powers in Central Asia. Perhaps future historians will look back at the Belt and Road Initiative as a true second Silk Road, connecting the two ends of the route and bringing prosperity. ”
On May 15, the China-Central Asia Summit is about to open. Shaanxi Xi'an Big Wild Goose Pagoda, Tang Never Sleeps City is brightly lit Source: Oriental IC
The article also quoted Robert Daly, director of the Kissinger Institute on U.S.-China Relations at the Wilson Center in the United States, pointing out that China has many advantages in Central Asia, including geographical location, market attractiveness, and status as the number one trading partner in Central Asia, which are "incomparable and invincible by the United States" and "this may remain true for a long time."
The tuz.kg website also pointed out that given the current geopolitical turmoil, the upcoming summit will be another step to weaken the influence of the United States and its Western allies in Central Asia. "Previously, various representatives from Washington and Brussels had been stationed in Central Asian capitals for months to persuade them to stop supporting Russia and even threaten sanctions, but Washington has so far failed to achieve its goals, as has the anti-China propaganda campaign launched by the 'democratic world.'"
It has been 31 years since the establishment of diplomatic relations and has achieved fruitful results
In early January 1992, China established diplomatic relations with five Central Asian countries. Over the past 31 years, the relationship between the two sides has been continuously upgraded and achieved leapfrog development.
According to the website of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Kazakhstan has an area of 2,724,900 square kilometers and a population of 19,644,000 (as of August 2022). China and Kazakhstan signed the China-Kazakhstan Treaty of Good-Neighborliness, Friendship and Cooperation in December 2002. In July 2005, China and Kazakhstan established a strategic partnership. In 2011, the two sides announced the development of a comprehensive strategic partnership. In September 2019, the two sides announced the development of a permanent comprehensive strategic partnership. In 2022, the bilateral trade volume between China and Kazakhstan will be 31.17 billion US dollars, a year-on-year increase of 23.6%.
China-Kazakhstan Zanatas 100 MW wind power project in Kazakhstan (photo taken on September 13, 2022) Source: Xinhua News Agency
Uzbekistan has an area of 448,900 square kilometers and a population of 36.02 million (as of January 2023). China and Ukraine established a strategic partnership in 2012. In 2013, the Treaty of Friendship and Cooperation between China and Ukraine was signed. Established a comprehensive strategic partnership in 2016. In 2022, the bilateral trade volume between China and Ukraine will be 9.78 billion US dollars, a year-on-year increase of 21.8%.
Tajikistan has an area of 143,100 square kilometers and a population of 10.01 million (as of January 2023). China Tajikistan established a strategic partnership in May 2013. A comprehensive strategic partnership was established in 2017. China is Tajikistan's largest source of investment and third largest trading partner. In 2022, the bilateral trade volume between China and Tajikistan will be US$2.599 billion, a year-on-year increase of 40.4%.
Kyrgyzstan has an area of 199,900 square kilometers and a population of about 7 million (as of April 2023). China and Kyrgyzstan established a strategic partnership in 2013. A comprehensive strategic partnership was established in 2018. China is Kyrgyzstan's largest trading partner. In 2022, China-Kyrgyzstan trade volume will be US$15.5 billion, a year-on-year increase of 105.6%.
Turkmenistan has an area of 491,200 square kilometers and a population of 5.72 million (as of June 2020). China and Turkey established a strategic partnership in September 2013. It was upgraded to a comprehensive strategic partnership in January 2023. In 2022, the bilateral trade volume between China and Turkey will be US$11.181 billion, a year-on-year increase of 52%.
Shu Yuting, spokesperson of the Ministry of Commerce, said on May 12 that up to now, China and Central Asian countries have signed cooperation documents on jointly building the "Belt and Road", formulated medium- and long-term economic and trade cooperation plans, signed investment protection agreements, and the economic and trade cooperation mechanism has become increasingly complete.
Central Asia is the first initiative of the "Belt and Road". In recent years, under the framework of the Belt and Road Initiative, China and Central Asian countries have made a series of new achievements in cooperation.
According to Xinhua News Agency, from China's first cross-border gas pipeline China-Central Asia natural gas pipeline, to the "Anglian-Papu" railway tunnel, the longest tunnel in Central Asia, from the Sino-Kazakh cooperation in the construction of the Zanatas wind power project in Central Asia, to the new north-south highway in Kyrgyzstan, known as the "China Road"... The successful implementation of "first" and "biggest" key projects has written vivid notes on the partnership between China and Central Asian countries for mutual benefit and win-win results, and provided strong support for industrial upgrading and people's livelihood improvement in Central Asian countries.
The full tunnel of the Kamchik Tunnel of the "Anglian-Papu" railway in Uzbekistan undertaken by China Railway Tunnel Group (taken on February 27, 2016) Source: Xinhua News Agency
At the regular press conference of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs on May 16, Foreign Ministry spokesman Wang Wenbin said that the China-Central Asia Summit will be held in Xi'an, which will further consolidate the consensus of China and Central Asian countries on high-quality joint construction of the "Belt and Road" and help the two sides continue to be pioneers in jointly building the "Belt and Road". We believe that in Xi'an, the starting point of the ancient Silk Road, China and Central Asian countries will ride the east wind of the China-Central Asia Summit, make the ancient Silk Road that lasts for thousands of years shine with new vitality, and make new and greater contributions to building a closer China-Central Asia community with a shared future.