China News Agency, Beijing, July 16 (Xinhua) On July 16, "China + Five Central Asian Countries" held their first foreign ministers' meeting via video. Chinese State Councilor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi attended and presided over the meeting. Kazakhstan’s Foreign Minister Treuberdi, Kyrgyzstan’s Foreign Minister Aydarbekov, Tajikistan’s Foreign Minister Mohridin, Turkmenistan’s Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Meledov, Uzbekistan Foreign Minister Kamilov attended.
Wang Yi said that China and Central Asian countries are connected by mountains and rivers, and are friendly neighbors with interdependent teeth. The Chinese people and the people of Central Asia have known each other and are brothers and sisters who share the same difficulties. As early as 2100 years ago, China started the historical process of friendly exchanges with Central Asian countries. Since the establishment of diplomatic relations, the two sides have adhered to mutual respect, fairness and justice, and win-win cooperation. They have resolved the border issues left over by history, established a high degree of political mutual trust, and sought common development and prosperity, jointly built the "Belt and Road", and jointly combated the "three forces" and transnational crime. It has promoted the communication between the people and embarked on an extraordinary path of cooperation and has become a model for a new type of international relations. China and Central Asian countries have now established a collective dialogue platform that is logical and natural.
Wang Yi said that a Central Asia with development, stability, prosperity, good neighborliness and friendship with neighboring countries and active participation in international affairs is in the common and fundamental interests of China and regional countries. The Chinese government attaches great importance to the development of strategic partnerships with countries in Central Asia, firmly supports countries to follow a development path that suits their national conditions, opposes external forces to engage in color revolutions and zero-sum games in Central Asia, and opposes the use of human rights as an excuse to interfere in countries in this region. internal affairs. The cooperation between China and Central Asia is based on the common needs of both parties and does not target third parties or affect bilateral and multilateral cooperation in the region. China’s Central Asian policy is based on the concept of sincerity and tolerance, adheres to neighbors as partners, and neighbors are good, adheres to good neighbors, safe neighbors, and rich neighbors. .
Wang Yi made four suggestions:
First, work together to defeat the epidemic and be the guardian of life and health. Build a China-Central Asia health community, establish a major epidemic disease information notification mechanism, and share prevention and control experience. China will provide a new batch of anti-epidemic material assistance to Central Asian countries, train medical and health experts, establish additional Chinese medicine centers, and develop vaccine cooperation. Strengthen international anti-epidemic cooperation, resolutely oppose the stigmatization and virus labeling of epidemic outbreaks by certain countries for their own sake, and support WHO to play its due role in global anti-epidemic.
Second, jointly promote economic recovery and be a mutually beneficial and win-win partner. Actively and steadily carry out the resumption of production and production in an orderly manner, establish a "fast track" for personnel from both sides and a "green path" for cargo transportation to ensure the safe and stable operation of the regional industrial chain supply chain. Accelerate mutual opening of markets, improve the business environment, and vigorously promote trade and investment facilitation. Promote regional connectivity and gradually build a transportation corridor that runs through Central Asia. Expand the scale of cross-border e-commerce and accelerate the construction of the "Digital Silk Road".
Third, maintain regional security and be a practitioner of the new security concept. Adhere to the common, comprehensive, cooperative and sustainable security concept, and deepen the fight against the "three forces" cooperation. As soon as possible, establish a “Belt and Road” large-scale project security cooperation mechanism to ensure the safe and smooth progress of important cross-border infrastructure projects. Persuade peace and promote talks to advance the peace reconciliation process in Afghanistan.
Fourth, strengthen multilateral cooperation and be a defender of fairness and justice. Hold high the banner of multilateralism, defend the purposes and principles of the Charter of the United Nations, safeguard the international system with the United Nations at its core, and resist unilateralism and bullying. Strengthen cooperation within a multilateral framework, promote international fairness and justice, and promote the democratization of international relations. Resolutely support each other's core concerns such as sovereignty and security, jointly guard the basic norms of international relations, and defend our legitimate rights.
Wang Yi said that strengthening collective cooperation between China and Central Asian countries is mutual help between neighboring countries, conforming to the trend of the times, serving each other’s interests and benefiting the international community. China is willing to take the opportunity of launching the "China + Central Asia Five" Foreign Ministers' Meeting as an opportunity to promote mutual trust and cooperation between China and Central Asian countries to a new level and open up a better future.
The five foreign ministers stated that the Central Asian countries and China are friendly neighbors with high political mutual trust and mutually beneficial cooperation. The five countries support the establishment of a mechanism for regular meetings of foreign ministers with China, which they believe has created a new important platform for deepening the strategic partnership between the two sides. The foreign ministers of the five countries stated that China's anti-epidemic response is decisive and effective, with remarkable results, and has set an example for the international anti-epidemic response. All parties appreciate the assistance provided by China and look forward to strengthening international cooperation in combating epidemics, supporting WHO to play an important role and resolutely opposing politicization of the epidemic. The foreign ministers support the integration of the “Belt and Road” initiative with the development strategy of many countries in Central Asia, promote regional interconnection, support the establishment of “fast lanes” for personnel and “green lanes” for goods, ensure the smooth flow of personnel and strengthen trade, science and technology, agriculture and food, and the digital economy , Tourism and other fields. The foreign ministers emphasized their willingness to further strengthen security cooperation, continue to jointly combat the "three forces" and transnational crimes, enhance coordination and cooperation within the multilateral mechanisms such as the United Nations, Shanghai Cooperation Organization, and AsiaInfo, and jointly maintain lasting peace, security and stability in the region.
The meeting adopted and issued the "China + Five Central Asian Countries" Foreign Ministers' Video Conference Joint Statement. (Finish)