The shore of the Bahe River, under the Chang'an Pagoda. In early summer, the ancient capital of Xi'an, the grass and trees are lush and everything is beautiful.

On May 5-18, the China-Central Asia Summit will be held in Xi'an, Shaanxi Province. President Xi Jinping will preside over the summit to discuss cooperation plans with the leaders of the five Central Asian countries and draw up a new blueprint for China-Central Asia relations.

"China is willing to take advantage of the situation with Central Asian countries, work shoulder to shoulder, and work together to build a closer China-Central Asia community with a shared future." In January 2022, at the video summit marking the 1th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between China and the five Central Asian countries, President Xi Jinping put forward an important initiative focusing on the common well-being of the people of the six countries, which won the unanimous approval of all parties.

More than a year later, the prime minister of the six countries, Yosian, planned for the future. This is the first time that China has held a summit in physical form since the establishment of diplomatic relations with the five Central Asian countries, which is a milestone in the history of the development of China's relations with Central Asian countries.

As the century-old changes accelerate their evolution, China and the five Central Asian countries work hand in hand to face the future and take solid steps to build a China-Central Asia community with a shared future, which will surely bring more certainty to an uncertain world and inject more positive energy into world and regional peace, stability, development and prosperity.

The head of state leads, moves steadily and far-reaching: "It has embarked on a new path of good-neighborliness, friendship and win-win cooperation, and has become a model for building a new type of international relations"

From Beijing, fly west over the Tianshan-Alatau Mountains, across the Amu Darya River, across the Kyzylkum Desert and the Fergana Valley. In the autumn of 2013, Xi Jinping traveled to Central Asia for the first time as President of the People's Republic of China for the first time to pay state visits to Turkmenistan, Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan and Kyrgyzstan, opening a new chapter in the development of relations between China and Central Asian countries.

"China and Central Asian countries are friendly neighbors linked by mountains and rivers. China attaches great importance to developing friendly and cooperative relations with Central Asian countries and regards them as a priority direction in its diplomacy. During the visit, President Xi Jinping systematically expounded China's policy towards Central Asia in the new era, and stressed his hope to work with Central Asian countries to continuously enhance mutual trust, consolidate friendship, strengthen cooperation, promote common development and prosperity, and seek benefits for the people of all countries.

During the visit, China established strategic partnerships with Turkmenistan and Kyrgyzstan, further deepened the comprehensive strategic partnership with Kazakhstan, signed a treaty of friendship and cooperation with Uzbekistan, and further developed and deepened the strategic partnership. A year later, President Xi Jinping paid another state visit to Tajikistan, and the two heads of state reached an important consensus on deepening China-Tajikistan relations and jointly approved the development plan of the China-Tajikistan strategic partnership for the next five years.

The heart yearns for it, and it will come to it. In the past 10 years, President Xi Jinping has visited Central Asia seven times, received leaders of Central Asian countries visiting China many times, and made in-depth exchanges and friends with all walks of life in Central Asian countries, leading China's relations with the five Central Asian countries to a new level, and China's relations with Central Asian countries have developed into a model for building a new type of international relations.

Such interaction warms people's hearts -

In a speech in Kazakhstan, President Xi Jinping told the story of a Chinese child who has looked for a Kazakh mother across half a century and a Kazakh student studying in China who donated "panda blood" twice a year, encouraging young people from the two countries to become messengers of China-Kazakhstan friendship;

In Kyrgyzstan, President Xi Jinping wore local traditional costumes to attend the president's family banquet to show respect for the host and traditional culture;

In a signed article published on the eve of his visit to Tajikistan, President Xi Jinping quoted the local proverb "Aspiring ants can also move mountains away", expressing his positive willingness to work together with Tajikistan and create a new glory of China-Tajikistan friendship with perseverance and diligence;

President Xi Jinping attended the completion and commissioning ceremony of the first phase of the "rejuvenation" gas field, wishing prosperity and prosperity in China-Turkey relations and the development and revitalization of the two countries;

During his visit to Uzbekistan, President Xi Jinping visited the ancient city of Bukhara, known as the "living fossil of the Silk Road", standing at the intersection of history and reality, hoping that the two peoples would inherit the spirit of the Silk Road and continue to enhance traditional friendship and exchanges;

On the eve of the China-Central Asia Summit, President Xi Jinping replied to the Central Asian students at China University of Petroleum (Beijing), encouraging them to actively participate in the cause of friendship between China and Central Asian countries, carry forward the spirit of the Silk Road, tell Chinese stories and Central Asian stories well, and be good messengers of friendship and cooperation bridges.

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Such a deep friendship is precious-

Kazakh President Tokayev awarded President Xi Jinping's highest honor, the Order of the Golden Eagle, and appreciated President Xi Jinping's historic role and great contribution to consolidating the friendship between the two peoples and promoting the development of Kazakhstan-China relations;

President Zaparov of Kyrgyzstan thanked President Xi Jinping for his personal concern for the development of Kyrgyzstan-China relations and expressed his pride in establishing a comprehensive strategic partnership with China;

Three generations of Tajik President Rahmon and his family welcomed President Xi Jinping and his wife to their home, praising President Xi Jinping as a wise and far-sighted politician;

Choosing to pay his first state visit to China on the anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between China and Turkey, Turkmenistan President Serdar Berdymukhamedov expressed his deep pride in the high-level mutual trust and cooperation between the two countries, and was willing to strengthen mutual visits and exchanges with China, learn from China's successful development experience, deepen mutually beneficial cooperation between the two countries in an all-round way, and achieve common development.

President Mirziyoyev of Uzbekistan praised President Xi Jinping as the greatest statesman and outstanding leader in the world today, and awarded President Xi Jinping with the "highest friendship" medal numbered 001;

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Kindness and neighborly goodness. Guided by the diplomacy of the head of state, China adheres to the concept of sincerity, sincerity and tolerance, deepens political mutual trust with the five Central Asian countries, and strengthens good-neighborliness and friendship.

Support each other on issues related to sovereignty, independence and territorial integrity, firmly support the development path and governance model chosen by each other, and oppose any form of "double standards" and interference in the internal affairs of other countries under any pretext;

Actively practice the new security concept of common, comprehensive, cooperative and sustainable, join hands to combat the "three forces", transnational organized crime and drug trafficking, resolutely oppose external interference and instigation of "color revolutions", and vigorously safeguard common security interests and regional peace and stability;

When the new crown epidemic hit, we worked together to help each other, carried out fruitful anti-epidemic cooperation, and interpreted the intimate brotherhood and unbreakable traditional friendship with practical actions...

"The secret to the success of China's 30-year cooperation with the five Central Asian countries lies in our mutual respect, good-neighborliness and friendship, mutual benefit and win-win results." At the video summit marking the 30th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between China and the five Central Asian countries, President Xi Jinping expressed the political guarantee and source of strength for the stable and far-reaching friendly relations between China and the five Central Asian countries.

The first "China-Central Asian Five" Industrial and Investment Cooperation Forum, the first meeting of "China-Central Asian Five" economic and trade ministers, the fourth China-Central Asia Foreign Ministers' Meeting... Since the beginning of this year, under the guidance of the diplomatic strategy of the head of state, a series of high-level activities have been held one after another, demonstrating the positive willingness and broad prospects of all parties to strengthen all-round, in-depth and multi-dimensional cooperation.

Work together and seek common development: "Strengthen the docking of development strategy and planning, jointly find cooperation entry points, and continuously improve the level of cooperation"

April 2023, 4, Xi'an International Port Area. With the long whistle, the Chang'an-Central Asia special train on the 26th anniversary of the "Belt and Road" China-Europe Express departed smoothly. The special train carried more than 260 BYD new energy vehicles manufactured in Xi'an and sent them to Tashkent, the capital of Uzbekistan.

Xi'an, one of the starting points of the ancient Silk Road; Central Asia, the place where the ancient Silk Road must pass.

For thousands of years, the ancient Silk Road has connected several major civilizations in Europe, Europe and Africa, promoted human development and progress, and passed on the spirit of peaceful cooperation, openness and inclusiveness, mutual learning and mutual benefit and win-win results, and has become a witness and link for friendly exchanges between the peoples of countries along the route.

Today, the Xi'an Assembly Center of the China-Europe Express has opened 17 trunk routes from Xi'an to Central Asian countries, where goods from countries along the "Belt and Road" and 29 provinces in China are collected and distributed. In the first quarter of this year alone, the Changan operated more than 1100,<> trains.

"Chang'an", "Yixinou", "Yuxinou", "Zheng Xinou", "Rong Xinou"... Looking at the vast Eurasian continent, a group of "steel camel caravans" galloped back and forth, connecting the dots into a line, recreating the grand scene of merchants and exchanges on the ancient Silk Road between Chinese cities such as Xi'an, Yiwu and Chongqing and Tashkent, Almaty and other important towns in Central Asia.

On September 2013, 9, President Xi Jinping delivered a speech in Kazakhstan, proposing for the first time a major initiative to jointly build the "Silk Road Economic Belt", thus starting a great cause that benefits the people of all countries along the route.

Tajikistan, September 2014; December, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan; June 9, Uzbekistan; Turkmenistan, January 12 – In the past few years, five Central Asian countries have signed cooperation documents with China to jointly build the Belt and Road Initiative to accelerate the alignment of development strategies.

From concept to action, from vision to reality, in the past 10 years, the "Belt and Road" has become a popular international public goods and international cooperation platform in today's world. Central Asia has become a demonstration area for high-quality joint construction of the "Belt and Road".

As the China-Central Asia Summit is about to take place, a set of data is particularly striking -

In 2022, China's total trade with the five Central Asian countries exceeded US$700 billion, a record high.

Working hand in hand and seeking common development, China has continuously made historic, landmark and breakthrough achievements in cooperation with Central Asian countries over the years. Although Central Asia is far from the sea, Central Asian friends deeply feel that "we are close to China, and China's supermarket is our sea."

Policy communication, facility connectivity, unimpeded trade, financial integration, and people-to-people bonds. Over the past 10 years, China and Central Asian countries have jointly written a new chapter of mutual understanding and mutual integration. Leaders of Central Asian countries enthusiastically attended the first and second Belt and Road Forum for International Cooperation and warmly praised the Belt and Road Initiative as "opening a window of opportunity for all countries".

From China's first cross-border gas pipeline China-Central Asia natural gas pipeline, to the "Anglian-Papu" railway tunnel, the longest tunnel in Central Asia, from the cooperation between China and Kazakhstan to build the Zanatas wind power project in Central Asia, to the new north-south highway in Kyrgyzstan, known as the "China Road"... The successful implementation of "first" and "biggest" key projects has written vivid notes on the partnership between China and Central Asian countries for mutual benefit and win-win results, and provided strong support for industrial upgrading and people's livelihood improvement in Central Asian countries.

Dozens of high-quality agricultural products such as wheat, soybeans, dried fruits, fruits, beef and mutton from Central Asia have entered the Chinese market, and financial institutions such as the China-Eurasian Economic Cooperation Fund, the Silk Road Fund, and the Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank have provided financing support for pragmatic cooperation between China and Central Asian countries, and the number of friendly provinces, states and cities between China and the five Central Asian countries has reached 62 pairs... The high-quality joint construction of the "Belt and Road" has been tried and implemented in Central Asia, and it is full of success.

"I'm a foreigner, but not an outsider." At the end of 2021, Xi'an was hit by the new crown epidemic, and Ma Wenxuan, a student studying in Kazakhstan in China, took the initiative to join thousands of Chinese to actively participate in the fight against the epidemic. A concise sentence that touched countless Chinese and became another good story for people-to-people exchanges between China and Central Asian countries.

"Such heart-warming stories have become a moving symphony of people in China and Central Asian countries sharing happiness and suffering." At the video summit marking the 30th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between China and the five Central Asian countries, President Xi Jinping's speech was sincere.

Unity and cooperation, common destiny: "Jointly compose a better tomorrow for China's relations with Central Asian countries, and jointly promote the construction of a community with a shared future for mankind"

"Cultivate the demonstration field of good-neighborliness and friendship", "build a cooperation belt for high-quality development", "strengthen the protective shield for peace", "build a big family of diverse interactions", "maintain a global village for peaceful development"...

At the video summit marking the 30th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between China and the five Central Asian countries, President Xi Jinping put forward a five-point proposal based on the long-term development of cooperation among the six countries, which received a positive response from the heads of state of the five Central Asian countries.

When the changes in the world, the times and history are accelerating, when the deficit of peace, development, security and governance continues to expand, and human society is facing unprecedented challenges, it is of great significance for China to unite and cooperate with Central Asian countries.

In the face of the Cold War mentality and the rise of hegemonism, China has joined hands with the five Central Asian countries to sing the main theme of unity, mutual trust, mutual benefit and win-win results, and stride forward on the right path of building a community with a shared future for mankind.

In January 2022, the leaders of China and the five Central Asian countries issued a joint statement on the 1th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations, "the six countries are determined to continue to work together to build a strategic partnership with rich connotations, fruitful results and lasting friendship on the basis of taking into account each other's interests, and build a China-Central Asia community with a shared future".

In September 2022, President Xi Jinping flew to Central Asia for a state visit to Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan, "China and Kazakhstan are willing to work towards the vision and goal of building a community with a shared future for generations of friendship, high mutual trust and solidarity" and "focusing on the long-term development of China-Ukraine relations and the future well-being of the two peoples, the two sides will expand mutually beneficial cooperation, consolidate friendship and partnership, and practice a community of common destiny at the bilateral level";

In January 2023, President Xi Jinping held talks with visiting President of Turkmenistan, Serdar Berdymukhamedov, and jointly announced the upgrading of China-Turkey relations to a comprehensive strategic partnership and the practice of a community of common destiny at the bilateral level.

The more chaotic the world is and the more complex the situation, the more it is necessary to strengthen solidarity and enhance cooperation. China has strengthened coordination with the five Central Asian countries, jointly stressed the need to "build bridges" rather than "build walls", worked together for universal security, lasting peace and sustainable development in the region, jointly promoted the building of a community with a shared future for mankind, and injected more stability into a chaotic and intertwined world.

Strengthen the fight against the "three forces", illegal drug trafficking, transnational organized crime and cybercrime, strengthen communication and coordination on the Afghan issue, and jointly maintain peace and tranquility in the region... China and Central Asian countries insist on sharing weal and woe, safety and danger, and constantly strengthen the protective shield for peace.

On April 2023, 4, the fourth China-Central Asia Foreign Ministers' Meeting was held in Xi'an. At the meeting of foreign ministers making comprehensive political preparations for the China-Central Asia Summit, all parties spoke highly of President Xi Jinping's constructive phone call with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky the day before, expressing their belief that this would help to cease fire and stop the war and resume peace talks as soon as possible. All sides support China's initiative to promote peace and talks, and maintain that the conflict should be resolved through diplomatic means in accordance with the spirit of international law.

From the Afghan issue to the Ukraine crisis, China has always adhered to an objective and fair stance on a series of international and regional hotspot issues, persisted in persuading peace and promoting talks, and advocated the peaceful settlement of disputes, so that the world has seen the appearance of a "big country" that adheres to peace and justice and fulfills its mission, which has won wide recognition and support from the international community.

Show an open attitude and welcome visitors from all directions. The China-Central Asia Summit is about to be held, and Xi'an is ready for the summit.

"A major event", "will further improve the construction of China-Central Asia mechanism", "bring new opportunities for regional development", "jointly create a peaceful, stable and prosperous future in the region"... Media, experts and scholars from Central Asian countries expressed their ardent expectations for the summit.

Everyone's attention, the world's attention. Xi'an, a thousand-year-old capital with a rich history and modern vitality, will once again witness the ups and downs of history.

Join hands for a common destiny, and look forward to the future together. Under the diplomatic helm of the head of state, China and the five Central Asian countries, which work hand in hand and walk through thick and thin, will certainly make new and greater contributions to maintaining world and regional peace and stability, promoting the common development of all countries, and promoting the building of a community with a shared future for mankind.

Text reporters: Liu Hua, Lian, Zhao Yan, Ma Zhuoyan, Yuan Shuai, Yang Yimiao

Video reporters: Li Linyin, Li Hua, Sun Zhenghao

Poster design: Duan Yuanyuan

Editors: Yang Wenrong, Wu Jingjing, Bao Yuhan, Jia Yining, Wang Qiuyun, Zhang Huihui, Lin Ge, Wang Haocheng, Hou Bangxing

Coordinator: Fang Sixian, Zhou Yongyi

(Xinhua News Agency)