Muhammad Ali Tipu
The summit of the President of China Xi Jinping with leaders of Central Asia —Uzbek President Shavkat Mirziyoyev, Kazakh President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev, Kyrgyz President Sadyr Japarov, Tajik President Emomali Rahmon, Turkmenistan President Serdar Berdymuhamedov in China is major leap forward to the enhanced connectivity and shared development with sharing of experiences of the emerging economic power of China with the countries that are all set to transform their systems, governance and economies into practically, financially and strategically viable according to the challenges of the present time and trends.
In President Xi’s words : “The world needs an interconnected Central Asia,” China’s leader remarked. “Blessed with unique geographical advantages, Central Asia has the right foundation, condition, and capability to become an important connectivity hub of Eurasia and make a unique contribution to the trading of goods, the interplay of civilizations, and the development of science and technology in the world.”
The heads of the states had many meetings previously but this summit is the first in a sense that the leaders were never came so closer while they belong to same the region. They are member at different forums and they occasionally have meetings but China and the whole Central Asia have discussed the potential of their cooperation in detail and face to face for the first time. Earlier online summits were held but now it is in person meeting.
Last year Mr. Xi and the Central Asian presidents marked 30 years of relations. At that occasion they announced the building of a “China-Central Asian community with a shared future.
Chinese President Xi Jinping has shared his vision for the development of Central Asia in this summit that has been held at Xi’an city in Shaanxi Province known historically as Chang’an on 19 May this year. This province is said to be the eastern end of the ancient Silk Road. That is the reason President Xi recalled Silk Road and its caravans as , “Silk Road has contemporary corollaries: the China-Kyrgyzstan-Uzbekistan Highway, the China-Tajikistan Highway, the China-Kazakhstan oil pipeline, and the China-Central Asia natural gas pipeline are today’s “Silk Roads” and freight trains and non-stop flights are “contemporary camel teams.”
The joint statement, the China-Central Asia Xi’an declaration consists of 15 points that emphasis on to construct a vision of strong and growing ties between China and the states of Central Asia. The first point of the declaration speaks everything. It is “Faced with major changes unseen in a century, and focusing on the future of the people in the region, the six countries are determined to join hands to build a closer China-Central Asia community with a shared future.”
The parties were unanimous that ensuring state security, political stability and constitutional order is of key importance, and resolutely oppose attempts to discredit legitimate state power and provoke “color revolutions”, as well as interference in the internal affairs of other countries in any of its forms and under any pretext.
The parties were unanimous that the development of fruitful multifaceted cooperation between the states of Central Asia and China meets the fundamental interests of all countries and their peoples. Against the backdrop of changes unprecedented in a century, the Parties, based on favorable prospects for the peoples of the region, reaffirm their desire to jointly create a closer community of a common destiny for Central Asia and China.
“The world needs a prosperous Central Asia.A dynamic and prospering Central Asia will help people in the region achieve their aspiration for a better life. It will also lend strong impetus to global economic recovery. The world needs a harmonious Central Asia, noting that ethnic wars, religious struggle, and cultural estrangement are not the region’s defining features, noted President Xi.
He also recommended strengthening institutional building by establishing meeting mechanisms on foreign affairs, economy, trade, and customs, as well as a business council; expanding economic and trade ties; deepening connectivity; expanding energy cooperation; promoting green innovation; enhancing development capabilities; strengthening dialogue between civilizations; and safeguarding regional peace.
President Xi has assured that the development paths would be independently chosen and respected and the sovereignty, security, independence and territorial integrity would be safeguarded.China would upgrade bilateral investment agreements and increase cross-border freight volume with the region. It will encourage Chinese-funded businesses in Central Asia to create more jobs, build warehouses, and launch a special train service aimed at promoting tourism.
President Xi has presented a development plan for Central Asia in which building infrastructure to boost trade is the major element. He briefed the Central Asian leaders on the plan in his address and later all Presidents sat in a press conference to share the discussions and decisions with the international press.
“China is ready to coordinate development strategies with Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan and promote the modernisation of all.This summit has added new impetus to the development and revitalisation of the six counties and injected strong positive energy into regional peace and stability,” Presiden Xi said.
“That’s a message that he reiterated to the other Central Asian leaders, a message of the friendship of cooperation of China being a reliable partner for the region,” Washington said.
“We will jointly foster a new paradigm of deeply complementary and high-level win-win cooperation.To bolster our cooperation and Central Asian development, China will provide Central Asian countries with a total of 26 billion yuan ($3.8bn) of financing support and grants,” Xi said.
The trade volume between China and Central Asia was $70bn last year. Kazakhstan is the major trade partner of China in the whole region with $31bn.
Mr. Xi said the building of Line D of the China-Central Asia natural gas pipeline should be accelerated. He also called on China and Central Asia to increase their oil and gas trade, develop energy cooperation across industrial chains, and boost cooperation on new energy and the peaceful use of nuclear energy.
In the longer term, China supports the construction of a cross-Caspian Sea international transport corridor and would strengthen the construction of transport hubs of China-Europe freight train services, Xi said.
The joint statement, the China-Central Asia Xi’an declaration consists of 15 points that emphasis on to construct a vision of strong and growing ties between China and the states of Central Asia. The first point of the declaration speaks everything. It is “Faced with major changes unseen in a century, and focusing on the future of the people in the region, the six countries are determined to join hands to build a closer China-Central Asia community with a shared future.”
President Xi emphasized on four principles agreed in last online summit and highlighted the need to remain committed with them. These principles are :
1- Mutual aid is critical because it deepens strategic confidence and ensures that countries consistently provide unequivocal and strong support on issues of core interests such as sovereignty, independence, national dignity, and long-term development.
2- Common development, which is important because the countries should continue to set the pace for Belt and Road cooperation and deliver on the Global Development Initiative.
3-Universal security is pivotal that the six countries act on the Global Security Initiative, and stand firm against external attempts to interfere in the domestic affairs of regional countries or instigate colour revolutions.
4- Everlasting friendship in implementing the Global Civilization Initiative, carrying forth their traditional friendship, and enhancing people-to-people relations.
Xi said the building of Line D of the China-Central Asia natural gas pipeline should be accelerated. He also called on China and Central Asia to increase their oil and gas trade, develop energy cooperation across industrial chains, and boost cooperation on new energy and the peaceful use of nuclear energy.
In the longer term, China supports the construction of a cross-Caspian Sea international transport corridor and would strengthen the construction of transport hubs of China-Europe freight train services, Xi said.
The leaders agreed to formalize their summits, to be held every two years and alternating between China and the Central Asian states. Kazakhstan will host the next meeting in 2025 and that the mechanism’s permanent secretariat would be based in China.At the end of the two-day event, the six leaders signed the Xi’an Declaration of the China-Central Asia Summit and adopted the List of Outcomes of the China-Central Asia Summit.
