The second “China-Central Asia” Summit took place in Astana, where the heads of state signed the Astana Declaration and the treaty of permanent good-neighbourliness, friendship and cooperation between Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan, and China.

The treaty establishes a solid and long-term legal foundation for cooperation between the countries. In his speech, Chinese President Xi Jinping described the event as “an important milestone for the present and a cornerstone for the future”.

“Over the past two years, China and the Central Asian countries have deepened and expanded cooperation under the Belt and Road Initiative. Trade turnover has increased by 35 per cent, and significant progress has been achieved in industrial investment, environmentally friendly mineral extraction, technological innovation and other areas”

Xi Jinping President of the People’s Republic of China

According to China’s General Administration of Customs, trade volume between China and the region reached a record US$94.8 billion in 2024. This was reported by
Xinhua, a partner of TV BRICS. It is noted that this figure is US$5.4 billion higher than the previous year.

At the meeting, the Chinese leader also announced the creation of three new cooperation centres focused on poverty alleviation, educational exchange and desertification prevention, as well as a platform to facilitate trade.

The first “China-Central Asia” Summit was held in 2023 in the Chinese city of Xi’an. Since then, China and the countries of the region have actively strengthened ties in trade, green energy, science, and technology, while also expanding humanitarian exchanges.

Photo:
Xinhua