China-central Asia Summit to witness trade, investment, connectivity agreements

With the China-central Asia Summit drawing closer, Xi’an has demonstrated its hospitality in full swing to welcome visiting guests from Central Asian countries and deep friendship between China and the five countries. Chinese officials said leaders of the six countries will exchange views on establishing mechanisms, cooperation and international, regional issues with respective concerns, as well as signing a slew of important political documents on trade, investment, connectivity and other areas.

Experts believe China’s cooperation with Central Asian countries, based on win-win results and mutual respect, can be seen as a paragon of international relationship in the new era. Unlike the US engaging with Central Asia to pursue selfish purposes, China’s collaboration with regional countries do not target any third party, nor aim to compete with others, they said.

National flags of China and five Central Asian countries were planted alongside airport highway in intervals, and banners saying “build a closer China-central Asia community with a shared future” in both Chinese and Russian, can be seen at overpasses in the city.

The summit is the first major diplomatic activity that China hosts this year, and also the first summit held offline by the heads of state of the six countries since the establishment of diplomatic ties 31 years ago. The event is a historic milestone in the development of relations between China and Central Asian countries.

At the invitation of Chinese President Xi Jinping, President Kassymjomart Tokayev of Kazakhstan, President Sadyr Japarov of Kyrgyzstan, President Emomali Rahmon of Tajikistan and President Shavkat Mirziyoyev of Uzbekistan will pay state visits to China respectively from Tuesday to Saturday this week.

Yu Jun, deputy director-general of the Chinese foreign ministry’s Department of European-central Asian Affairs, said at a Tuesday press briefing that Xi will deliver a keynote speech at the summit, expounding on China’s stance on how to construct China-central Asia community with a shared future , eyeing long-term development for cooperation between the six countries, putting forward series of propositions and announcing multiple pragmatic measures and actions.