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Associated Press
3 days ago
- Business
- Associated Press
Forums on China-Central Asia cooperation development, Silk Road int'l communication held in Astana
ASTANA, Kazakhstan, June 25, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- The China-Central Asia Cooperation Development Forum and the Third Silk Road International Communication Forum were held on Sunday in Astana, the capital of Kazakhstan. A Media Snippet accompanying this announcement is available in this link. Around 240 representatives from media, think tanks, cultural institutions and business sectors across China and Central Asia engaged in in-depth discussions on topics including deepening Silk Road cooperation. At the opening ceremony, Arman Kyrykbayev, assistant to the Kazakh president, read a congratulatory message from Kazakh President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev. In the letter, Tokayev noted that not long ago, Chinese President Xi Jinping and the heads of state of the five Central Asian countries attended the second China-Central Asia Summit, which concluded with great success. He said the China-Central Asia Cooperation Development Forum and the Third Silk Road International Communication Forum serve as important platforms for people-to-people dialogue and cultural exchange between Central Asian countries and China. Tokayev expressed confidence that the event will further deepen exchanges and cooperation between the two sides in various fields. In his keynote speech, Fu Hua, president of Xinhua News Agency, said President Xi attaches great importance to China-Central Asia cooperation and development. A stable, prosperous, harmonious and interconnected Central Asia is of great significance to the entire world, Fu said. Fu said that Xinhua is willing to work together with media outlets and think tanks from Central Asian countries to strengthen media exchanges and deepen cooperation in areas such as news reporting, technological development and personnel exchanges, carry out joint research on topics of common interest based on the realities and development needs of China and Central Asia, enhance field studies, analytical assessments and sharing of information and achievements, and produce more high-quality and actionable think tank reports to offer insights and recommendations for the development of China-Central Asia cooperation. Qiu Xiaoqi, vice president of the China Public Diplomacy Association, said the launch of the China-Central Asia forum marks a new chapter of exchange and cooperation among the media, think tanks and cultural institutions of the six countries. All parties should make earnest efforts to better tell the stories of China-Central Asia cooperation and the modernization of the Global South, he said. Tursunali Kuziev, first deputy director of Uzbekistan's Cultural Heritage Agency, said the Uzbek side fully agrees with the proverb 'a close neighbor is better than a distant relative,' and remains committed to building a good-neighborly and mutually beneficial relationship between Central Asia and China. He expressed hope that the event would serve as an efficient platform for exchanging ideas, inspiring creativity and charting future cooperation. Chinese Ambassador to Kazakhstan Han Chunlin said the 'China-Central Asia Spirit' reflects the six countries' strong commitment to good-neighborly relations, solidarity and mutual support. He called on the media, as a bridge for people-to-people connections, to promote a favorable public opinion environment for the high-quality development of China-Central Asia relations. Sun Weidong, secretary-general of the Secretariat of the China-Central Asia Mechanism, said in his speech that think tanks and media from the six countries bear an important responsibility in strengthening the social foundation of a China-Central Asia community with a shared future. The Secretariat of the China-Central Asia Mechanism stands ready to work closely with all parties, actively support cooperation mechanisms and platforms in various fields, and contribute to building a closer China-Central Asia community with a shared future. Zu Bin, director of China Huadian Corporation Ltd., said in his speech that as a leading global energy enterprise, China Huadian will fully implement the Belt and Road Initiative and the consensus reached at the China-Central Asia Summit. Upholding the principle of mutual benefit and win-win cooperation, the company aims to help Central Asian countries transform resource advantages into development strengths and promote vigorous growth of green Belt and Road cooperation, he said. At the opening ceremony, a center on China-Central Asia regional cooperation and development was officially inaugurated. The forum was co-hosted by Xinhua News Agency, Kazakhstan President's TV and Radio Complex, the Communist Party of China Shaanxi Provincial Committee and the provincial government, and China Huadian Corporation. During the event, a think tank report titled 'Championing the China-Central Asia Spirit: Achievements, Opportunities and Prospects for Regional Cooperation' was released globally in Chinese, Russian and English. Source: Xinhua News Agency Contact person: Mr. Wang, Tel: 86-10-63074558
Yahoo
4 days ago
- Business
- Yahoo
Forums on China-Central Asia cooperation development, Silk Road int'l communication held in Astana
ASTANA, Kazakhstan, June 24, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- This is a report from Xinhuanet: The China-Central Asia Cooperation Development Forum and the Third Silk Road International Communication Forum were held on Sunday in Astana, the capital of Kazakhstan. Around 240 representatives from media, think tanks, cultural institutions and business sectors across China and Central Asia engaged in in-depth discussions on topics including deepening Silk Road cooperation. At the opening ceremony, Arman Kyrykbayev, assistant to the Kazakh president, read a congratulatory message from Kazakh President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev. In the letter, Tokayev noted that not long ago, Chinese President Xi Jinping and the heads of state of the five Central Asian countries attended the second China-Central Asia Summit, which concluded with great success. He said the China-Central Asia Cooperation Development Forum and the Third Silk Road International Communication Forum serve as important platforms for people-to-people dialogue and cultural exchange between Central Asian countries and China. Tokayev expressed confidence that the event will further deepen exchanges and cooperation between the two sides in various fields. In his keynote speech, Fu Hua, president of Xinhua News Agency, said President Xi attaches great importance to China-Central Asia cooperation and development. A stable, prosperous, harmonious and interconnected Central Asia is of great significance to the entire world, Fu said. Fu said that Xinhua is willing to work together with media outlets and think tanks from Central Asian countries to strengthen media exchanges and deepen cooperation in areas such as news reporting, technological development and personnel exchanges, carry out joint research on topics of common interest based on the realities and development needs of China and Central Asia, enhance field studies, analytical assessments and sharing of information and achievements, and produce more high-quality and actionable think tank reports to offer insights and recommendations for the development of China-Central Asia cooperation. Qiu Xiaoqi, vice president of the China Public Diplomacy Association, said the launch of the China-Central Asia forum marks a new chapter of exchange and cooperation among the media, think tanks and cultural institutions of the six countries. All parties should make earnest efforts to better tell the stories of China-Central Asia cooperation and the modernization of the Global South, he said. Tursunali Kuziev, first deputy director of Uzbekistan's Cultural Heritage Agency, said the Uzbek side fully agrees with the proverb "a close neighbor is better than a distant relative," and remains committed to building a good-neighborly and mutually beneficial relationship between Central Asia and China. He expressed hope that the event would serve as an efficient platform for exchanging ideas, inspiring creativity and charting future cooperation. Chinese Ambassador to Kazakhstan Han Chunlin said the "China-Central Asia Spirit" reflects the six countries' strong commitment to good-neighborly relations, solidarity and mutual support. He called on the media, as a bridge for people-to-people connections, to promote a favorable public opinion environment for the high-quality development of China-Central Asia relations. Sun Weidong, secretary-general of the Secretariat of the China-Central Asia Mechanism, said in his speech that think tanks and media from the six countries bear an important responsibility in strengthening the social foundation of a China-Central Asia community with a shared future. The Secretariat of the China-Central Asia Mechanism stands ready to work closely with all parties, actively support cooperation mechanisms and platforms in various fields, and contribute to building a closer China-Central Asia community with a shared future. Zu Bin, director of China Huadian Corporation Ltd., said in his speech that as a leading global energy enterprise, China Huadian will fully implement the Belt and Road Initiative and the consensus reached at the China-Central Asia Summit. Upholding the principle of mutual benefit and win-win cooperation, the company aims to help Central Asian countries transform resource advantages into development strengths and promote vigorous growth of green Belt and Road cooperation, he said. At the opening ceremony, a center on China-Central Asia regional cooperation and development was officially inaugurated. The forum was co-hosted by Xinhua News Agency, Kazakhstan President's TV and Radio Complex, the Communist Party of China Shaanxi Provincial Committee and the provincial government, and China Huadian Corporation. During the event, a think tank report titled "Championing the China-Central Asia Spirit: Achievements, Opportunities and Prospects for Regional Cooperation" was released globally in Chinese, Russian and English. View original content to download multimedia: SOURCE Xinhuanet Error in retrieving data Sign in to access your portfolio Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data
Yahoo
18-06-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Global Times: China, C.Asian countries jointly form China-Central Asia Spirit: Xi
BEIJING, June 17, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Chinese President Xi Jinping said Tuesday that China and Central Asian countries have explored and formed the China-Central Asia Spirit, which features mutual respect, mutual trust, mutual benefit, mutual assistance, and the pursuit of common modernization through high-quality development. Xi made the remarks in his speech at the second China-Central Asia Summit in the Kazakh capital of Astana. Xi said that the Chinese side has decided to establish three cooperation centers and a trade facilitation platform within the China-Central Asia cooperation mechanism. When addressing the summit, Xi said these institutions include the China-Central Asia poverty reduction cooperation center, the China-Central Asia education exchange cooperation center, the China-Central Asia desertification control cooperation center, as well as the China-Central Asia trade facilitation cooperation platform. Xi and leaders of the five Central Asian countries on Tuesday signed the treaty of permanent good-neighborliness and friendly cooperation. Xi was accompanied by Kazakh President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev, Kyrgyz President Sadyr Japarov, Tajik President Emomali Rahmon, Turkmen President Serdar Berdimuhamedov and Uzbek President Shavkat Mirziyoyev. Fruitful summit Yang Cheng, Executive Dean of the Shanghai Academy of Global Governance and Area Studies, highlighted the "China-Central Asia Spirit" in Xi's remarks, and said it will provide vital guidance for building a closer China-Central Asia community with a shared future and offer valuable insights that can be replicated and scaled globally. Referring to the "Shanghai Spirit" which emerged during the development of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) and keeps guiding the SCO, Yang believes the "China-Central Asia Spirit" is significant not only for promoting practical cooperation between China and Central Asia, but it creates a pathway for countries with different political systems, economic sizes, resource endowments, and social cultures to achieve enduring good-neighborliness and mutual benefit. Against the backdrop of accelerating international disorder and escalating regional conflicts, the signing of the permanent good-neighborliness and friendly cooperation treaty between China and Central Asian countries also demonstrated the replicable and promotable value of resolving issues through dialogue and cooperation, highlighting the universality and applicability of the China-Central Asia cooperation model, Yang told the Global Times. The Tuesday Summit represents a historic first - the first time the gathering is being held in a Central Asian country, according to Xinhua. According to Chinese Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Guo Jiakun, the summit opens up new space for Belt and Road (BRI) cooperation and to build an even closer China-Central Asia community with a shared future. The inaugural summit was held two years ago in China's northwestern city of Xi'an, where leaders agreed to hold the top-level gathering every two years alternately in China and Central Asia. Ahead of the summit, Xi held bilateral meetings with leaders of five Central Asian countries. In a meeting with Kyrgyz President Japarov, Xi said that cooperation between China and Kyrgyzstan holds great potential, urging the two countries to scale up trade and investment and expand cooperation in emerging sectors. Xi on Tuesday called on China and Tajikistan to expand the scale of bilateral trade and investment in a meeting with Tajik President Rahmon. China firmly supports Tajikistan in safeguarding its national independence, sovereignty and security, Xi said. In a meeting with Turkmen President Berdimuhamedov, Xi urged China and Turkmenistan to scale up natural gas cooperation, expand cooperation in non-resource fields and optimize trade structure. He called on the two sides to accelerate the establishment of cultural centers in each other's countries and promote people-to-people connectivity. Xi said that China supports Turkmenistan's accession to the World Trade Organization. When meeting with Uzbek President Mirziyoyev, Xi called on China and Uzbekistan to introduce more measures for trade liberalization and facilitation. Xi also noted in the meeting that all related parties should work to de-escalate tensions in the Middle East as soon as possible and avoid further escalation. Xi said on Monday when meeting with Kazakh President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev that China stands ready to work with Kazakhstan to contribute more to regional and world peace and development with stability and positive energy of bilateral ties. Xi arrived in Astana on Monday to a blue-carpet welcome. Global Times reporters noticed that on Monday night, the landmarks in Astana were beautifully illuminated with the colors of China's national flag on Monday evening, warmly welcoming Xi's arrival. Tangible contributions Inside and outside the summit venue, various sectors across the five Central Asian countries are closely following the progress and outcomes of the event. Global Times reporters in Astana observed that local newspapers featured photos of President Xi's arrival and news coverage of the summit. In the two years since the first China-Central Asia Summit, relations between China and Central Asian countries have advanced rapidly across technology, trade, and cultural exchanges, reaching a new qualitative level, Rashid Yusupov of Kyrgyz State University's Center for Belt and Road Studies told the Global Times. "For Kyrgyzstan, China-Kyrgyzstan ties have seen breakthroughs, with the China-Kyrgyzstan-Uzbekistan railway progressing after nearly 30 years," said the scholar, noting that the Summit can "boost comprehensive cooperation, deepening bilateral relations. China and Central Asia are building a tangible, fruitful community with a shared future." Djoomart Otorbaev, former prime minister of Kyrgyzstan, described the second China-Central Asia Summit as "another critical, significant, and ambitious step to deepen China's cooperation with the region." In a recent interview with the Global Times, he highlighted that China-Central Asia cooperation is shifting from a traditional resource-trade focus to a new phase emphasizing high-tech and modern industries. "Central Asia boasts a large pool of well-educated, ambitious young people eager to collaborate with China for mutual prosperity," Otorbaev added. Aygul Rahimova, a Turkmen journalist covering the China-Central Asia Summit, echoed Otorbaev's view on the region's youth yearning to engage with China. She told the Global Times that Turkmen youth are keen on opportunities for large infrastructure projects to enhance connectivity with neighboring countries. They hope this summit will pave the way for future cooperation with China to fulfill these people-centered aspirations. Belt and Road cooperation has effectively boosted trade, travel and exchanges in the region. In 2024, China's trade with Central Asia reached a record $94.8 billion, fueled in part by a booming cross-border e-commerce sector. China now stands as Central Asia's top trading partner and major investment source, Xinhua reported. Tajikistan became the first country to sign a memorandum of understanding with China regarding the Silk Road Economic Belt in 2014. Collaboration has since produced tangible outcomes, ranging from new highways and power plants to new city landmarks, many of which have been personally championed by Xi. View original content: SOURCE Global Times Error in retrieving data Sign in to access your portfolio Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data
Yahoo
17-06-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Global Times: Xi meets Tokayev, calls on two nations to promote cooperation
BEIJING, June 16, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Chinese President Xi Jinping met on Monday with Kazakh President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev ahead of the second China-Central Asia Summit. Xi said that China stands ready to work with Kazakhstan to contribute more to regional and world peace and development with stability and positive energy of bilateral ties. Xi said China and Kazakhstan should continue to support each other on issues involving core interests and major concerns, and promote synergy of the development strategies. He called on both countries to expand law enforcement and defense exchanges, jointly combat terrorism, separatism and extremism, and added that the two sides should promote connectivity, high-tech cooperation and green development. Xi said China and Kazakhstan should practice true multilateralism, safeguard common interests of developing countries. He called on China, Kazakhstan to safeguard international system with UN at its core, and international order underpinned by international law, according to Xinhua. Tokayev said China is a friendly neighbor, close friend and reliable partner of Kazakhstan, Xinhua reported. The two leaders attended a ceremony of exchanging cooperation documents. Xi arrived in the Kazakh capital of Astana earlier Monday to attend the second China-Central Asia Summit. He was welcomed by Tokayev and other senior officials at the airport. After Xi's plane entered Kazakh airspace, fighter jets of Kazakhstan's air defense forces took off to escort it. Kazakh teenagers and children, holding the national flags of China and Kazakhstan, warmly welcomed Xi's visit. Accompanied by Tokayev, Xi watched the march-past performed by the guard of honor, as helicopters bearing the flags of both countries flew over the airport. Inside the airport VIP lounge, the two heads of state also enjoyed performances by Kazakh teenagers and children. Fellow travelers Kazakhstan's Ambassador to China, Shakhrat Nuryshev, told the Global Times in a recent exclusive interview that the most important driving force behind relations between China and Kazakhstan is head-of-state diplomacy, noting that he believes Xi's visit to the summit "will open new horizons for bilateral cooperation." "Today, Kazakhstan is China's largest trading partner in Central Asia, with bilateral trade reaching a record $43.8 billion in 2024. We are working together to double this figure in the coming years, a goal that we believe is achievable through the synergy of the BRI and Kazakhstan's new economic policy," said the ambassador. "We highly value China's efforts in strengthening regional connectivity, developing infrastructure, advancing technological exchanges, and fostering people-to-people dialogue." Walking the streets of Kazakhstan's capital, Astana, it is not hard to encounter Chinese influences in daily life: Chinese smartphones, new energy vehicles, small goods delivered directly by Chinese e-commerce platforms, and the efficiency of Chinese-made light rail systems, which astonish locals. In Astana, an 18-meter-long high-end pure electric bus built by a Chinese company has become a beautiful landscape. It is not only able to withstand the severe cold of minus 40 degrees Celsius in Astana's winter, but also features a strong sense of technology and safety, providing robust support for the development of green transportation across Central Asia. Meanwhile, the growing enthusiasm for learning Chinese and deepening people-to-people exchanges have become significant markers of the mutual affinity between China and Kazakhstan. On Monday, coinciding with the upcoming Second China-Central Asia Summit, a key event of Kazakhstan's "China Tourism Year"—the "Silk and Silk Road: From China to Kazakhstan" exhibition—opened at the National Museum of Kazakhstan. At the event, many local teenagers and Kazakh students from the Confucius Institute in Astana performed in Hanfu, or traditional Chinese attire, and experienced different aspects of Chinese culture such as embroidery and batik. This also specifically demonstrates a new chapter of glory for the new era's Silk Road, a millennia-old corridor linking East and West. "Over the past two years, China and Kazakhstan have achieved remarkable progress in cultural and people-to-people cooperation, with last year's 'Kazakhstan Tourism Year in China' serving as a striking example," Aibek Zheksenaliyevich Sydykov, the Vice Minister of Culture and Information of Kazakhstan who attended the event's opening ceremony, told the Global Times on Monday. "The Second China-Central Asia Summit, a major event of international significance, holds great promise, and we anticipate substantial positive outcomes, especially in the cultural sector. More importantly, we hope to further strengthen and deepen the friendly relations between our two nations," said the official. Ding Xiaoxing, director of the Institute of Eurasia Studies at the China Institutes of Contemporary International Relations, told the Global Times that over the past two years, China has consistently supported Kazakhstan in advancing modernization and economic diversification. "The convergence of China's modernization efforts and Kazakhstan's National Development Plan until 2029 offers vast opportunities for cooperation, underscoring that the two nations are fellow travelers on the path to modernization." "The mutual visa exemption between China and Kazakhstan has significantly boosted people-to-people exchanges, particularly in tourism, contributing to the comprehensive development of their permanent comprehensive strategic partnership over the past two years," said Ding. The warm welcome and expectations of the Kazakh people for the summit reflect their desire to build a closer community with a shared future with China, and the same applies to other Central Asian countries, he noted. Strategic crossroads The 2023 Xi'an summit marked the first-ever meeting of heads of state under the China-Central Asia cooperation mechanism. A highlight of the Xi'an summit was the signing of the Xi'an Declaration, in which Xi and the presidents of the five Central Asian countries vowed to work together to build a closer China-Central Asia community with a shared future, Xinhua reported. Xi places great importance on China's ties with the region. In his view, Central Asia pulses at a strategic crossroads, linking East and West, North and South. "China's relationship with Central Asia has flourished steadily over the past two years since the first summit. This summit is poised to enhance cooperation across various fields, strengthen strategic mutual trust, and promote joint development between China and Central Asia," said Ding. "Following the central conference on work relating to neighboring countries held in April, this summit with President Xi's attendance represents a major diplomatic outreach and a concrete implementation of the conference's initiatives. It is expected to yield successful outcomes," said the scholar. "We believe this Summit will mark a crucial step toward building a unified space of cooperation and trust across Eurasia. This mechanism, based on mutual respect and balanced interests, opens genuine prospects for sustainable development, improved well-being for our peoples, and regional stability," said Ambassador Nuryshev. View original content: SOURCE Global Times Sign in to access your portfolio
Al Jazeera
16-06-2025
- Business
- Al Jazeera
China's Xi Jinping meets Central Asian leaders: Why their summit matters
Chinese President Xi Jinping reached Kazakhstan on Monday to attend the second China–Central Asia Summit, a high-stakes diplomatic gathering aimed at deepening Beijing's economic and strategic ties with the region. The summit, which will be held on Tuesday in the Kazakh capital Astana, comes at a time when China is intensifying its outreach to Central Asian countries amid shifting global power alignments — and mounting tensions in neighbouring Iran, which is roiled in an escalating conflict with Israel. The summit will bring together the heads of state from all five Central Asian nations — Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan — along with Xi. The Astana summit also carries symbolic weight: it is the first time that the five Central Asian nations are holding a summit in the region with the leader of another country. So, what is the importance of the China-Central Asia Summit? And is China battling both the United States and Russia for influence in the region? On Monday, Xi was greeted by Kazakh President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev and other senior officials at the airport in Astana. The Astana summit follows the inaugural May 2023 China–Central Asia Summit, which was held in Xi'an, the capital city of China's Shaanxi province. Xi is expected to be in Astana from June 16 to 18 and is scheduled to hold bilateral meetings with Kazakhstan's leaders on Monday before the summit on June 17. At the summit, he is expected to deliver a keynote speech and 'exchange views on the achievements of the China-Central Asia mechanism, mutually beneficial cooperation under the framework, and international and regional hotspot issues,' said a Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson. The office of Kazakhstan's president noted that both countries are 'set to further strengthen bilateral ties' and Xi will also chair 'high-level talks with President [Tokayev] focused on deepening the comprehensive strategic partnership'. Tokayev, who has been in office since 2019, is a fluent Mandarin speaker and previously served as a diplomat in China. Zhao Long, a senior research fellow at the Shanghai Institutes for International Studies (SIIS), told Al Jazeera that Central Asian countries see their partnership with China as a deep, multifaceted cooperation grounded in shared strategic and pragmatic interests. 'The alignment with China helps Central Asian states enhance their regional stability, pursue economic modernisation, and diversify their diplomatic portfolios,' said Zhao. Where Central Asia has abundant energy resources, he said, China offers vast markets, advanced technology, and infrastructure expertise. Last Friday, Lin Jian, a Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson, told a news briefing that establishing 'the China-Central Asia mechanism was a unanimous decision among China and the five Central Asian countries, which dovetails with the region's common desire to maintain stability and pursue high-quality development'. Since China first formalised and chaired the China-Central Asia Summit in May 2023, Lin said, 'China's relations with Central Asian countries have entered a new era … injecting fresh impetus into regional development and delivering tangibly for the peoples of all six countries.' 'We believe through this summit, China and five Central Asian countries will further consolidate the foundation of mutual trust,' Lin added. 'During the summit, President Xi will also meet with these leaders and lay out the top-level plan for China's relations with [the] five Central Asian countries,' said the spokesperson. SISS's Zhao said Xi's attendance at the second summit sends a clear message: 'China places high strategic importance on Central Asia.' Experts are dubbing the China-Central Asia Summit as a C5+1 framework, because of the five regional nations involved. The United States first initiated the concept of such a summit with all five Central Asian nations in 2015, under then-US President Barack Obama. But at the time, the conclave was held at the level of foreign ministers. Then-US Secretary of State John Kerry led the first meeting in September 2015 on the sidelines of the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) in New York. In January 2022, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi held a virtual summit with the five Central Asian state heads, and then in June 2025, he invited them for a follow-up conclave in India. Meanwhile, in 2023, Xi hosted the leaders in Xi'an. Four months later, then-US President Joe Biden hosted the C5 state heads on the sidelines of the UNGA in New York. It was the first time a US president met with Central Asian heads of state under this framework. But current US President Donald Trump's tariff policies could upset that outreach from Washington. Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan have all been tariffed at 10 percent. Trump initially imposed an even higher 27 percent tariff on imports from Kazakhstan, the region's largest economy, though as with all other countries, the US president has paused these rates, limiting tariffs to a flat 10 percent for now. China has cited these tariff rates to project itself as a more reliable partner to Central Asia than the US. At the meeting with the foreign ministers of the region in April, Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi criticised unilateralism, trade protectionism, and 'the trend of anti-globalisation [that] has severely impacted the free trade system'. The US, Wang said, was 'undermining the rule-based multilateral trading system, and destabilising the global economy'. The region, rich in uranium, oil, and rare earth metals, has become increasingly important to China as a key corridor for trade with Europe. Subsequently, China has increased its engagement with Central Asian countries. Xi, who has curtailed his foreign visits since the COVID-19 pandemic, is visiting Kazakhstan for the third time since 2020. He visited in 2022, and then again in 2024. Central Asia is also a critical part of Xi's Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) — a network of highways, railroads and ports connecting Asia, Africa, Europe and Latin America — as a gateway to Europe. Experts expect the BRI to figure prominently at the summit in Astana on Tuesday, with additional emphasis on collaboration in energy and sustainable development. A planned $8bn railway connecting China's Xinjiang region to Uzbekistan through Kyrgyzstan is likely to be on the agenda, the SISS's Zhao said. Construction on the project is scheduled to begin in July. Expected to be completed by 2030, the railway route will provide China with more direct access to Central Asia and reduce the three countries' reliance on Russia's transport infrastructure. Additionally, Zhao said that the summit may feature agreements on reducing tariffs, streamlining customs procedures, and lowering non-tariff barriers to boost bilateral trade volumes. A lot. China is today the top trading partner of each of the five Central Asian republics. China is also ramping up its investments in the region. It has committed to an estimated $26bn in investments in Kazakhstan, for instance. It's complicated. Formerly parts of the Soviet Union, the five Central Asian republics have long belonged in Russia's strategic sphere of influence. Millions of people from the five republics live and work in Russia, and since 2023, Moscow has become a supplier of natural gas to Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan, which have faced energy shortages — even though Central Asia was historically a supplier of energy to Russia. But though Russia remains a major economic force in the region, China has overtaken it as the largest trading partner of Central Asian republics over the past three years — a period that has coincided with Russia's war on Ukraine. Some of that increased trade, in fact, is believed to be the outcome of China using Central Asia as a conduit for exports to Russia of goods that face Western sanctions. Still, there are ways in which Russia remains the region's preeminent outside ally. Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan — three of the region's five nations — are part of the Collective Security Treaty Organisation (CSTO) — along with Russia, Armenia and Belarus. Like NATO, this bloc offers collective security guarantees to members. In effect, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan have the cover of Russia's protection if they are attacked by another nation — something that China does not offer.
