Beijing: Chinese President Xi Jinping signed a treaty on Tuesday to raise links with the Nations of Central Asia, while Beijing seeks to further deepen cooperation on trade, energy and infrastructure with the region rich in resources.
Since the invasion of Ukraine by Russia, Beijing has intensified its efforts to stimulate economic links with the nations of Central Asia traditionally in the sphere of influence of Russia, attracted by their strategic location and their energy resources.
At a regional summit in the Kazakh capital of Astana on Tuesday, XI, welcoming an important stage, signed an “permanent candy and friendly cooperation” with the leaders of Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tadjikistan, Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan, the official Xinhua press agency.
The summit this week is the second rally of this type, following the inaugural rally filled with pumps in northwestern China in 2023. The two occasions coincided with the meetings of the G7 leaders.
“Currently, the world is being accelerated by invisible changes in a century, entering a new period of turbulence and transformation,” Xinhua said Xi in a speech at the top.
“Trade wars and tariff wars do not produce any winner, and unilateralism, protectionism and hegemonism are required to harm others and to yourself,” he said, in a barely veiled blow in the United States which had engaged in the climbing of prices with Beijing.
“China is ready to work with the countries of Central Asia to protect international justice, oppose hegemonism and the policy of power,” said Xi.
He also promised 1.5 billion yuan (208.86 million dollars) in grant to Central Asian countries this year to support their subsistence and development projects, and called for more cooperation in areas such as trade, minerals and agriculture.
Despite a commercial truce with the United States, Beijing wanted to consolidate relations with its regional partners.
The bidirectional trade of China with the five countries of Central Asia reached a record of 286.42 billion yuan in the first five months this year, an increase of 10.4% in annual shift, said Xinhua citing Chinese customs.
Turkmenistan, a large supplier of natural gas for China, is the only nation in Central Asia with a trade surplus with China. The commercial deficits of Kazakhstan and Kyrgyzistan with China come up against tens of billions.
Energy, mineral cooperation
During distinct bilateral meetings with regional leaders, XI called for enlarged cooperation in natural, minerals, international railroads and in application of the law, according to summaries published by the Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
During meetings with the presidents of Uzbeks and Kyrgyz on Tuesday, he urged progress on the railway China-Kirgyzstan-Uzbekistan, a terrestrial route bypassing Russia
The project has been discussed since the 1990s, but has acquired a new importance after sanctions against Russia, sender between China and Europe avoid sending goods via Russia.
The five former Soviet republics offer alternative routes in China to secure fuel and food in the event of disturbances elsewhere.
In the long term, the central Asia road could potentially help reduce freight transport times between China and Europe.
During a separate meeting with the president of the Turkmens, Serdar Berdymukhamedov, said that “the two parties should extend the extent of natural gas cooperation, explore cooperation in non-resource areas and optimize the structure of trade.”
