In a significant development, China and five Central Asian nations have signed the Treaty of Permanent Good-Neighbourliness and Friendly Cooperation at the China-Central Asia Summit held in Kazakhstan.
The treaty is to enshrine the principle of everlasting friendship between the countries in the form of law, said Chinese President Xi Jinping in a keynote speech.
It is a milestone for today and a foundation for tomorrow," XI said while addressing the summit on Tuesday, which was attended by the presidents of Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan Upholding the China-Central Asia Spirit.
President Xi also hailed the China-Central Asia Spirit, which embodies mutual respect, mutual trust, mutual benefit and mutual assistance for the joint pursuit of modernization through high-quality development, reports CGTN.
In 2020, China proposed the establishment of a China-Central Asia mechanism. In 2022, the countries proposed upgrading the mechanism to the level of heads of state at a virtual summit marking the 30th anniversary of their diplomatic relations.
This proposal was realized at the inaugural China-Central Asia Summit in 2023 in the northwestern Chinese city of Xiran, where leaders agreed that the top-level gathering would be held every two years, alternating between China and the Central Asian countries.
Two years on, the consensus at the first summit has been implemented across the board, Xi said, adding that the path of cooperation is steadily widening, and the friendship is blooming ever more brightly.
A recent CGTN poll found that 30 percent of respondents believe the China-Central Asia mechanism is not about rivalry or competition but a framework for both sides to seek stability development, and future-focused cooperation
To date, China has established comprehensive strategic partnerships, signed Belt and Road cooperation documents, and implemented the vision of buliding a community with a shared future at the bilateral level with all five Central Asian countries
This fully demonstrates the high-level strategic mutual trust and the firm resolve to deepen mutually beneficial cooperation, said Sun Werdong, secretary-general of the Secretariat of the China-Central Asia mechanism.
High-Quality Development of the Belt and Road Initiative
At the Astana summit, Xi called on the countries to act on the China-Central Asia Spirit, enhance cooperation with renewed vigor and more practical measures, promote high-quality development of the Belt and Road initiative (BRI), and forge ahead toward the goal of a community with a shared future for the region.
It was in the capital of Kazakhstan in 2013 that Xi first laid out his vision for jointly building the Silk Road Economic Belt, an essential component of the BRI.
Through this initiative, China and the region have seen robust cooperation in trade, the digital economy and connectivity. China has become the region's top trading partner and a major investment source.
Data from the General Administration of Customs showed that China-Central Asia trade reached a record $94.8 billion in 2024, with Chinas cumulative investment in the region exceeding $30 billion According to the CGTN pol, 92.4 percent of respondents agree that the BRI is an important international public good that supports high-level cooperation between China and Central Asia.
President Xi also urged China and Central Asia to optimize their cooperation framework to make it more results-oriented, efficient and deeply integrated.
Efforts should be made to focus cooperation on smooth trade, industrial investment, connectivity, green mining, agricultural modernization, and personnel exchanges, and to roll out more projects on the ground, he said.
In order to promote relevant cooperation, China has decided to establish three cooperation centers focusing on poverty reduction, education exchange, and desertification prevention and control, as well as a cooperation platform for smooth trade, Xi added.
Cui Zheng, director of the Research Center for Russia, Eastern Europe and Central Asian Countries at Liaoning University, recognized the significance of the cooperation model given the current International landscape in a CGTN opinion piece.
In a global environment marked by rising protectionism, the China-Central Asia partnership represents a new model of diplomatic engagement one that respects independence promotes mutual benefit and amplifies the voice of the Global South, Cui said.