【China Focus Face-to-Face】How can the heads of state of the six countries gather in Xi'an, how can China-Central Asia cooperation open up new prospects?

Beijing, 5 May (ZXS) -- Question: When the heads of state of the six countries gather in Xi'an, how can China-Central Asia cooperation open up new prospects?

China News Agency reporter Guo Chaokai, Li Jingze, Li Chun

On May 5-18, the China-Central Asia Summit was successfully held in Xi'an, Shaanxi Province, with Chinese President Xi Jinping chairing the summit and delivering a keynote speech. This is China's first major home diplomatic event this year, and it is also the first time that the heads of state of the six countries have held a summit in physical form since the establishment of diplomatic relations 19 years ago, which is a milestone in the history of the development of China's relations with Central Asian countries.

The heads of state of China and the five Central Asian countries agreed to focus on the future and work together to build a closer China-Central Asia community with a shared future.

Why did China's first major home diplomacy event this year focus on China-Central Asia cooperation? What impact will the summit have on the region and the world? China News Agency's "China Focus Face-to-Face" invited Chen Yurong, a researcher at the China Institute of International Studies, to give an interpretation.

China News Agency's "China Focus Face-to-Face" invited Chen Yurong (right), a researcher at the China Institute of International Studies, to interpret it. Photo by China News Agency reporter Hou Yu

China News Agency: China's first major home diplomatic event this year focused on China-Central Asia cooperation, and the heads of state of China and Central Asia agreed to hold this summit as an opportunity to formally establish the China-Central Asia Head-of-State Meeting mechanism.

Chen Yurong: The upgrading of the China-Central Asian cooperation mechanism is a practical need for the continuous improvement of good-neighborly and friendly relations between China and Central Asian countries, the deepening of practical cooperation in various fields, and the increasing demand for multilateral cooperation in economic and security areas over the past 31 years. As President Xi Jinping pointed out, "Deepening China-Central Asia cooperation is a strategic choice made by our generation of leaders with an eye to the future, in line with the general trend of the world and in line with the expectations of the people." ”

The China-Central Asia Summit provides an important platform and broader cooperation space for deepening bilateral and multilateral cooperation, and also raises the cooperation between China and the five Central Asian countries to a new height, which is a milestone in the history of relations between China and Central Asian countries, and will open a new era of China-Central Asia cooperation. The upgrading of the China-Central Asia cooperation mechanism has injected positive energy into the peace and development of the region and the world at large.

Regarding the summit, the President of Turkmenistan stressed that the China-Central Asia mechanism will provide new opportunities for deepening friendship and cooperation, which is also of great significance to the world. The President of Kazakhstan said that Kazakhstan is willing to work with China to make full use of the China-Central Asia mechanism to jointly promote regional security, stability and development.

Video: What is the impact of the establishment of the China-Central Asia Summit Mechanism on the region and the world? Source: China News Network

China News Agency: In his keynote speech at the summit, President Xi Jinping stressed the need to work together to build a China-Central Asia community with a shared future that helps each other, common development, universal security and friendship for generations to come, and put forward a "four-point proposition" on what kind of Central Asia to build, and comprehensively plan the direction of action for China-Central Asia cooperation. What do you think of President Xi's series of proposals? What does it mean for future China-Central Asia cooperation?

Chen Yurong: President Xi Jinping's keynote speech at the China-Central Asia Summit was high-level, concise and informative. First of all, President Xi Jinping pointed out the important historical and strategic significance of deepening China-Central Asia cooperation in his keynote speech. He stressed that at present, the evolution of the century-old changes is accelerating, and the changes in the world, the times, and history are unfolding in an unprecedented way. Central Asia is the center of the Eurasian continent, at the crossroads of East and West and North and South.

What kind of Central Asia will it be in the future? This concerns not only the region, but also world peace and stability. President Xi Jinping pointed out in his speech that the world needs a stable Central Asia, the world needs a prosperous Central Asia, the world needs a harmonious Central Asia, and the world needs a connected Central Asia. In this context, deepening China-Central Asia cooperation is of great significance, and it is all the more necessary to work together to build a China-Central Asia community with a shared future.

Regarding the construction of a China-Central Asia community with a shared future, President Xi Jinping emphasized the "four persistences" in his keynote speech. First, persist in watching and helping each other. We must work together to build a community of mutual assistance and solidarity and mutual trust. Second, adhere to common development. We must work together to build a community of win-win cooperation and mutual achievement. Third, adhere to universal security. We need to work together to build a community free from conflict and lasting peace. Fourth, adhere to friendship from generation to generation. We must work together to build a community of mutual knowledge and one heart and one mind.

In addition, in his keynote speech at the summit, President Xi put forward China's "eight-point proposal" on how to plan, build and develop China-Central Asia cooperation well, and made detailed and long-term plans for strengthening cooperation in eight aspects, including strengthening mechanism building, expanding economic and trade relations, deepening connectivity, and expanding energy cooperation.

China News Agency: President Xi Jinping received the presidents of Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan and Uzbekistan on a state visit to China and held bilateral meetings with the President of Turkmenistan. In your opinion, what are the overall characteristics of China's interaction with the five Central Asian countries? What will be the positive impact of the outcome of the visit and the meeting?

Chen Yurong: I have noticed that during these bilateral meetings, the heads of state of the two sides unanimously spoke highly of the rapid development and continuous improvement of bilateral relations. Second, they both expressed their desire to further strengthen and deepen bilateral cooperation and common development; Third, it is willing to work together to cope with various challenges and actively practice a community with a shared future for mankind; The fourth is to carry out strategic guidance and planning for deepening bilateral cooperation in the future.

After the summit, China and Central Asian countries signed relevant documents, reached a series of consensuses, and made further plans and meticulous arrangements for deepening cooperation in various fields, once again demonstrating the strategic leading role of the head of state's diplomacy.

On the morning of May 5, Chinese President Xi Jinping presided over the first China-Central Asia Summit in Xi'an, Shaanxi Province and delivered a keynote speech entitled "Working Together to Build a China-Central Asia Community with a Shared Future for Mutual Assistance, Common Development, Universal Security and Friendship for All Generations". Photo by Mao Jianjun, reporter of China News Agency

China News Agency: During the summit, the heads of state exchanged views on China-Central Asia mechanism building, cooperation in various fields and major international and regional issues of common concern, and issued the Xi'an Declaration of the China-Central Asia Summit. What do you think of the declaration and its implications?

Chen Yurong: The Xi'an Declaration really impressed people. The declaration provides the answer to the question of the China-Central Asia summit mechanism. The heads of state of China and Central Asia unanimously agreed to take the opportunity of this summit to establish a mechanism for the China-Central Asia Heads of State Meeting. The mechanism of the summit is jointly promoted by the six countries, which will be held alternately in China and Central Asian countries, and it is determined that the next summit will be held in Kazakhstan in 2025, and it is decided to establish a permanent secretariat of the China-Central Asia mechanism in China. In fact, this clearly defines the operation of the China-Central Asia summit mechanism, which is conducive to promoting the deepening of cooperation between China and the five Central Asian countries, especially strategic guidance and longer-term planning for future cooperation.

For example, the Xi'an Declaration mentioned that China and the five Central Asian countries will deepen bilateral and multilateral relations, and specific cooperation arrangements in the political, economic, humanistic and security fields are reflected in the declaration. The Xi'an Declaration is of great significance in the history of China's cooperative relations with the five Central Asian countries, and once again demonstrates the leading role of the head of state's diplomacy.

China News Agency: We have noticed that there are some special details of this summit, from the local people welcoming the arrival of foreign guests with warm waist drums and Yangge from northern Shaanxi, to the joint planting of pomegranate trees originating from Central Asia and flowers of Xi'an City flowers by the heads of state of the six countries, which not only has the enthusiasm of the host, but also highlights the friendship between China and Central Asia that lasts for thousands of years. How do you evaluate the "Taste of Shaanxi" and "Taste of Silk Road" of this summit?

Chen Yurong: We have seen that the local people in Xi'an are dressed in full costumes, beating waist drums, dancing cheerful Yang songs, and using the unique language of folk art with a strong "Shaanxi taste", showing the hospitality, kindness and simplicity and hardworking nature of the people of Northwest China, conveying friendship through song and dance, and welcoming the VIPs attending the China-Central Asia Summit. I think this also gives the heads of state of Central Asia a sense of closeness at home. Central Asian countries are also multi-ethnic countries, most of which are good at singing and dancing.

The joint planting of pomegranate trees by the heads of state of China and Central Asia is a far-reaching significance, symbolizing the flourishing and generational legacy of friendship between the peoples of China and Central Asia. Pomegranate flowers are Xi'an city flowers, and pomegranate trees are native to Central Asia, so pomegranate flowers are a historical witness of the friendship between Shaanxi and Central Asia. The "smell of the Silk Road" takes us back to more than 2100,<> years ago, Zhang Qian sent the Western Regions to the Western Regions from Chang'an, full of Chinese friendship, brought Chinese silk, tea, and returned to Central Asia and West Asia specialties, such as watermelons, pomegranates, since then pomegranate trees have taken root in Shaanxi, thus opening up the ancient Silk Road that lasted for thousands of years.

Video: What is the significance of the six heads of state planting pomegranate trees at the China-Central Asia summit? Source: China News Network

China News Agency: Central Asia is the first place to jointly build the "Belt and Road" and a benchmark for connectivity. Over the past 10 years, China and Central Asian countries have achieved fruitful results in high-quality joint construction of the Belt and Road. What is the significance of this summit for China and Central Asian countries to promote high-quality joint construction of the "Belt and Road"?

Chen Yurong: The China-Central Asia Summit has provided new momentum and injected new vitality into the high-quality joint construction of the Belt and Road. In 2013, President Xi Jinping first proposed the initiative of jointly building the "Silk Road Economic Belt" in Kazakhstan, which received positive response and participation from Central Asian countries.

Central Asian countries align their development strategies with the Belt and Road Initiative. Over the past 10 years, the joint construction of the "Belt and Road" has yielded fruitful results, which has effectively promoted the economic development and prosperity of Central Asian countries. Through the interconnection of large-scale infrastructure, Central Asia has rapidly built a three-dimensional transportation network of roads, railways, aviation, oil and gas pipelines, greatly improving people's livelihood. These include benchmark projects such as the "Anglian-Papu" railway tunnel and the China-Kazakhstan Lianyungang logistics cooperation base.

Through 10 years of close cooperation, Central Asia has become a demonstration area and benchmark for the construction of the "Belt and Road". At the same time, it is through the joint construction of the "Belt and Road" that the land-sea combined transport of goods in Central Asia has become a reality, so that the inland Central Asia not only has a "sea outlet", but also becomes a hub connecting the Eurasian transport corridor.

At this summit, the heads of state focused on the current urgent needs and future development of all countries, further condensed the consensus of the six countries on high-quality joint construction of the "Belt and Road", and continued to deepen cooperation in policy communication, unimpeded trade, financial integration and other fields to help common prosperity and development.

China News Agency: The China-Central Asia Summit coincides with the G7 summit held in Hiroshima, Japan, on the 19th. The proximity of the two summits in time has aroused public attention. In your opinion, does the China-Central Asia cooperation mechanism compete with the cooperation mechanism between other countries?

Chen Yurong: The upgrading of the China-Central Asia cooperation mechanism is a consensus between the two sides to deepen mutual trust, deepen cooperation and promote common prosperity. It is the common desire of the two sides to seek common development at a new starting point of development and revitalization, and work together to create a second "golden thirty years". China's cooperation with Central Asia does not target third parties and has no intention of competing with other mechanisms.

China's cooperation with Central Asia is not to seek spheres of influence and engage in closed and exclusive "small circles", but to promote common development and economic prosperity of all countries under the mechanism of China-Central Asia Summit, rather than to build what the West calls "spheres of influence". The goal of deepening cooperation between the two sides is to work together to build a closer community of common destiny, and to strive for shared prosperity and solidarity. The cornerstone of China's relations with Central Asian countries is mutual respect, good-neighborliness and friendship, solidarity and mutual benefit.

As we all know, the G7 has obvious imprints of bloc politics and Cold War mentality, has obvious pertinence and exclusivity, and is a geopolitical tool in the hands of major powers. (End)