Experts anticipate the China-Central Asia Summit will present a much-needed enhance to the connection between China and Central Asia and Belt and Road cooperation.
BEIJING, May 15 (Xinhua) — The China-Central Asia Summit is ready to happen in Xi’an, the capital metropolis of China’s Shaanxi Province, on May 18 and 19. On the event, the heads of state of Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan will collect in China for the primary time because the Beijing 2022 Winter Olympics.
The occasion is the primary summit held offline by the heads of state of the six international locations since establishing diplomatic ties 31 years in the past. The growth of relations between China and Central Asian international locations marks a major milestone, paving the best way for a brand new period of cooperation and making a contemporary blueprint for his or her partnership.
MEETING NEW DEMAND
The upcoming summit was born out of the China + Central Asia (C+C5) cooperation mechanism, established in 2020 to satisfy a rising demand for deeper cooperation between China and Central Asia.
Three of the 5 Central Asian international locations — Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan — share borders with China, extending so long as 3,000 km. The stability in Central Asia is essential to sustaining the soundness of China, particularly in its northwest area.
The pleasant exchanges between the 2 sides hint again to historical instances. More than 2,100 years in the past, Zhang Qian set off from what’s now Xi’an as an envoy of the Han Dynasty. He began his mission to the western areas through Central Asia, which finally led to the opening of the Silk Road.
After the 5 Central Asian states declared independence in 1991, China was among the many first international locations to acknowledge their sovereignty and set up diplomatic relations with them. Since then, China and the 5 Central Asian international locations have successively fashioned strategic partnerships. Among them, China has elevated its ties with Kazakhstan to a everlasting complete strategic partnership and established complete strategic partnerships with Uzbekistan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan and Turkmenistan.
Economic and commerce cooperation between China and the 5 international locations has achieved tangible outcomes since establishing diplomatic ties. China’s commerce with the 5 reached 70 billion U.S. {dollars} in 2022 and recorded a year-on-year growth of twenty-two p.c within the first quarter of this 12 months. As of the tip of March, China’s direct funding stock in Central Asia stood at over 15 billion {dollars}.
Central Asia is a vital vitality provider to China. China as soon as obtained 30 p.c of its pure gasoline imports by the China-Central Asia pipeline. Residents in Beijing, Shanghai and different cities already use pure gasoline from Turkmenistan.
At the multilateral stage, the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) has lengthy been the main platform for cooperation between China and Central Asia. With the exception of Turkmenistan, which adheres to the coverage of everlasting neutrality, the opposite 4 Central Asian international locations are all founding members of the SCO. Within the framework, China has performed fruitful safety cooperation with Central Asian international locations and made outstanding achievements in combating the “three forces” of terrorism, separatism and extremism, and selling the peace course of in Afghanistan.
As the SCO membership expands, its agenda has turn into extra numerous. In addition to persevering with their cooperation inside the SCO framework, China and Central Asian international locations additionally want a brand new specialised multilateral cooperation mechanism. In 2020, the C+C5 cooperation mechanism was launched.
HIGHLY ANTICIPATED SUMMIT
Central Asia, positioned within the coronary heart of Eurasia, has served as a bridge connecting the East and the West. Regional international locations have at all times pursued balanced diplomacy. To promote the collective pursuits of the area, efforts have been made to current a unified place on each regional and worldwide issues.
Central Asia is more and more inclined to coordinate diplomatically within the world enviornment. It has established the C5+1 mechanism with numerous events akin to China, the United States, Russia, Japan and the European Union.
Working with areas as a complete is just not unusual for China. For instance, China has established the “10+1” mechanism with the Association of Southeast Asian Nations.
The C+C5 cooperation mechanism has developed quickly. During the 4 C+C5 international ministers’ conferences, a number of tasks have been deliberate for the betterment of the individuals. These tasks embrace establishing the China-Central Asia Agricultural Cooperation Center, a standard drugs heart, and the Luban Workshop, a Chinese vocational workshop program coaching skills abroad.
On Jan. 25, 2022, China and the 5 Central Asian international locations collectively introduced constructing a China-Central Asia group with a shared future. On June 8, 2022, the third C+C5 international ministers’ assembly established a China-Central Asia heads of state assembly mechanism.
It is price noting that when interacting with Central Asian international locations, China respects their growth paths and considers their pursuits.
Meanwhile, China first proposed the Belt and Road Initiative in Kazakhstan in 2013. Since its inception, the initiative has been broadly welcomed within the area, serving to regional international locations entry broader markets and selling constructing full industrial programs in these resource-rich nations.
With the tenth anniversary of the Belt and Road Initiative approaching, specialists anticipate the China-Central Asia Summit will present a much-needed enhance to the connection between China and Central Asia and Belt and Road cooperation.
According to Serik Korzhumbayev, editor-in-chief of Delovoy Kazakhstan newspaper, holding the China-Central Asia Summit in Xi’an, the start line of the traditional Silk Road, is important.
Korzhumbayev stated the upcoming summit may doubtlessly improve long-term cooperation and growth throughout a number of fields between China and Central Asia. This may result in broader prospects and a lift in momentum.
“The summit will have a positive effect on the long-term cooperation and development of our countries,” stated Korzhumbayev. “A new format of cooperation will make it possible to involve the Central Asian region with China’s large market in close economic ties.”