General

2022 is the 30th year since China established diplomatic relations with the five Central Asian countries. Over the past 30 years, China and Central Asian countries have inherited friendship and worked hand in hand to build international trade and economic relations with rich connotation, vitality, mutual benefit, and achieved tangible and profound cooperation results. At present, the unprecedented change in a century and the epidemic situation of the century are intertwined and intertwined. Standing at the new starting point of the 30 years since the establishment of diplomatic relations, the two sides are expected to carry out more in-depth high-quality cooperation in many aspects, build a community of shared future between China and Central Asia, and work together to build a better future.

The relationship achieves leapfrog development

In September 2019, China and Kazakhstan announced the establishment of a permanent comprehensive strategic partnership; In June 2019, China and Kyrgyzstan signed the Joint Statement on Further Deepening the Comprehensive Strategic Partnership between China and Kyrgyzstan; In August 2017, China and Tajikistan issued a joint statement on establishing a comprehensive strategic partnership; In 2016, China and Uzbekistan established a comprehensive strategic partnership; In September 2013, China and Turkmenistan established a strategic partnership... Central Asia became China's "strategic partnership zone".

"Over the past 30 years, China's Central Asian relations have achieved leapfrog development, reached the level of strategic partnership, and achieved rapid and steady growth in mutual international trade and investment, injecting strong impetus into the economic and social development of the six countries." Cui Zheng, director of the Russian Center for Eastern European and Central Asian Studies at Liaoning University, said that the trade volume between China and the five Central Asian countries jumped from less than 500 million dollars at the beginning of the establishment of diplomatic relations to 50.1 billion dollars, an increase of more than 100 times. From January to September this year, the total import and export volume of China Kazakhstan international trade in goods was 23.19 billion US dollars, up 22.2% year on year; From January to August, the trade volume of China Kyrgyzstan, China Turkey and China Uzbekistan was 9.49 billion US dollars, 6.9 billion US dollars and 6.41 billion US dollars respectively, with year-on-year growth of 151.9%, 52.4% and 28.6% respectively.

Cui Zheng said that over the past 30 years, China and the five Central Asian countries have built a large number of mutually beneficial and win-win cooperation projects, including the China Kazakhstan crude oil pipeline, the China Central Asia natural gas pipeline, the China Kyrgyzstan Uzbekistan highway, the China Uzbekistan Pengsheng Industrial Park, and the China Tajikistan Uzbekistan highway, which have widely benefited the people of all countries in the region. In addition, China and the five Central Asian countries have brought prosperity and stability to all parties and regions through dialogue and cooperation in multilateral mechanisms such as the United Nations, the Shanghai Cooperation Organization, the Conference on Interaction and Confidence Building Measures in Asia (CICA), and "China+the five Central Asian countries".

"Since the establishment of the SCO, Central Asian countries have been active participants." Xu Tao, a researcher of the Chinese Academy of Modern International Relations and a distinguished researcher of the Eurasian Social Development Institute of the Development Research Center of the State Council, said that from the "Shanghai Five" to the expansion of the SCO, Central Asian countries have maximized their interests through cooperation within the framework of the SCO in political, security, economic, cultural and other fields. Although the coverage area of SCO after its expansion has exceeded Central Asia or Eurasia, Central Asia is still the core area of SCO.

Jointly building the "the Belt and Road" to achieve success

Central Asia, located in the heart of Eurasia, has a superior geographical position. It is the thoroughfare of China's opening to the west and the first place of the "the Belt and Road" initiative. Since the "the Belt and Road" initiative was put forward more than nine years ago, Central Asia has become a "demonstration area" for the "the Belt and Road" construction. By strengthening the docking of the "the Belt and Road" initiative with the development strategies of various countries, China and Central Asian countries will promote all-round mutually beneficial cooperation in politics, economy, humanities, security and other fields from point to area, and gradually form a pattern of regional cooperation.

"In recent years, China and Kazakhstan have continued to explore and deepen cooperation, and the 'the Belt and Road' initiative and the 'Bright Road' have been smoothly linked." Cui Zheng said that the "the Belt and Road" initiative has opened a new window of opportunity for Kazakhstan. China and Kazakhstan have successfully built a comprehensive and three-dimensional connectivity network covering roads, railways, aviation, oil and gas pipelines, and are committed to building a convenient and efficient "artery" of land and sea multimodal transport across Europe and Asia. The China Kazakhstan Khorgos International Border Cooperation Center has become one of the main entry points for Chinese goods to be transported to Central Asia, Russia and further to the West, and an important part of the "the Belt and Road".

Jing Xiaoyu, an assistant researcher of the Eurasian Institute of the Chinese Academy of International Studies, said that Uzbekistan has become an important participant and constructor in the joint construction of the "the Belt and Road". Investment cooperation covers oil and gas, chemicals, textiles, electricity, coal, cement, steel, glass, agriculture, water, finance, logistics, industrial parks, international engineering contracting and many other fields, The project of Pengsheng Industrial Park in Xierhe Prefecture has become one of the successful examples of China's investment in private enterprises in Uzbekistan.

At the same time, China's cooperation with the five Central Asian countries also faces some challenges. Relevant experts said that at present, profound and complex changes in the international geopolitical situation pose threats and challenges to lasting peace in the Eurasian region. Common development is the most effective means to deal with threats and challenges, and it is also an important focus and guiding direction for China's future cooperation with Central Asian countries. China and Central Asian countries should further tap the connotation of the times and common values of the Shanghai spirit, combine bilateral and multilateral cooperation, fully mobilize the enthusiasm and initiative of all parties, and achieve extensive interaction at multiple levels, in multiple fields and in multiple subjects.

Cui Zheng said that the COVID-19 has brought huge losses to the traditional economic field, and the importance of medical care, new technology, communication, logistics, e-commerce, robotics and other technologies has increased significantly. In the future, China and the five Central Asian countries can deepen cooperation in production capacity, energy, agriculture, digital economy and other fields, and implement the "the Belt and Road" green development partnership initiative. Taking Kyrgyzstan as an example, infrastructure construction, processing industry, agriculture, digitization, tourism, local affairs, climate change and green energy development are important directions for bilateral economic and trade cooperation, with broad prospects.

"Looking ahead, China and the five Central Asian countries will continue to move forward side by side and jointly write a new chapter of development and prosperity." Li Hui, Special Representative of the Chinese Government for Eurasian Affairs, said that we should adhere to the leadership of the diplomacy of the heads of state, implement the consensus of the heads of state, and promote new and major development of relations between China and Central Asian countries. We should adhere to the goal of common prosperity, further give play to the complementary advantages of international trade and economy, continue to deepen cooperation in various fields, seize new opportunities and meet new challenges, and use more fruitful results of practical cooperation to promote economic development and improve people's livelihood in the six countries.