Xian, May 19: Chinese President Xi Jinping hailed “a new era” of ties with Central Asia on Thursday, kicking off a summit Beijing hopes will deepen relations with the strategically vital regions.
Held in the ancient Chinese city of Xian, the historic Eastern End of the ‘Old Silk Road’ that linked China to Europe through Central Asia, Beijing has said this week’s meeting is of “milestone significance.”
In his speech to the region’s leaders, Xi said strengthening ties was a “strategic choice”.
“I am confident that with our joint efforts, tomorrow’s summit will be a full success and will herald a new era of China-Central Asia relations,” Xi was quoted as saying in a readout of the speech seen by AFP.
“Join us in opening up a bright future of China-Central Asia cooperation,” he said.
This week’s meeting is the first-of-its kind since the establishment of formal relations 31 years ago.
Beijing says trade with Kazhakasthan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan reached 70 million dollars in 2022 and expanded 22 percent in the first quarter of 2023.
Central Asia has also become key to China’s trillion dollar Belt and Road Initiative, a defining Geo-Political project for Xi, with Beijing keen to restart cooperation and fill the vacuum left in the former Soviet States by Russia’s war in Ukraine.
China, among world’s top energy consumers, has invested billions of dollars to tap natural gas reserves in Central Asia, while rail links connecting China to Europe criss-cross the region.
EOM