China's Foreign Minister Wang Yi, who was visiting Kazakhstan in Central Asia, expressed his intention to strengthen cooperation at a foreign ministers' meeting with five Central Asian countries, and is present in this region as the international community's attention is focused on the situation in Ukraine. It seems that there is also an aim to enhance the feeling.
According to the Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Foreign Minister Wang Yi visited Kazakhstan from the 6th to the 9th of this month, and on the 8th, he attended a foreign ministers' meeting with five Central Asian countries.
The statement was agreed to expand cooperation on China's "One Belt, One Road" giant economic zone initiative, and to work toward the early development of a railway network connecting China with Kyrgyzstan and Uzbekistan. He expressed his intention to strengthen cooperation with Central Asian countries.
Foreign Minister Wang also met with Kazakhstan's President Tokaev prior to this, and over the situation in Ukraine, "we must be wary of the scheme that foreign powers involve the countries of the region in the conflict between the great powers and force them to choose between them. ", And restrained with the United States in mind.
Meanwhile, a statement released by the Presidential Office of Kazakhstan did not mention the situation in Ukraine.
Central Asia, including Kazakhstan, has shown a certain distance from Russia at the UN General Assembly in March over the military invasion of Ukraine, not against the resolution condemning Russia and abstaining.
China seems to have the aim of increasing its presence in the region as the international community's attention is focused on the situation in Ukraine.