Central Asia-China Foreign Ministers Meet

Xi’an, 30 April 2023 (TDI): The 4th Foreign Ministers‘ Meeting, themed “Central Asia-China,” was held in China on 27 April. The summit was between China and Central Asian countries.

The primary purpose of the assembly was to address a wide variety of mutually beneficial subjects, including the upcoming Central Asia-China Heads of State Summit in Xi’an in May.

Chinese Foreign Minister Qin Gang, Kazakhstan Foreign Minister Murat Nurtleu, Kyrgyz Foreign Minister Jeenbek Kulubaev, Tajikistan Foreign Minister Sirojiddin Muhriddin, Uzbekistan Foreign Minister Bakhtiyor Saidov, and Turkmen Deputy Foreign Minister Vepa Hajiyev attend the meeting.

Qin Gang emphasized that China would stand firmly by Central Asian nations as they defend their national sovereignty, independence, security, and territorial integrity. China also supports Central Asian countries’ development pathways.

He also noted that China strongly rejects external interference in Central Asian nations’ internal affairs. China will increase communication and coordination between the two sides within UN and SCO frameworks to protect international relations’ core values, the UN-centered international order, and international fairness and justice.

According to the summit Declaration, China and the five nations have committed to good neighborliness, friendship, mutual respect, mutual trust, and mutually beneficial partnership for 30 years since diplomatic relations were established.

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The partnerships have benefited each other, stabilizing regional peace and development. The five countries will follow through on the heads of state’s critical shared perspectives, maintain close high-level exchanges, advance Belt and Road cooperation, deepen people-to-people and cultural exchanges, and rupture terrorism, separatism, and extremism to forge the next golden three decades of China-Centra Asia relations.

Due to China’s exceptional worldwide influence, the Central Asian States hoped Chinese modernization would bring fresh prospects to Central Asia and the world. They support China’s objectives and visions for the world, the country’s rational stance on the Taiwan Strait, Xinjiang matters, and Xizang issues. They also reject the politicization of human rights.

The C5 nations will work with China to deepen multilateral international cooperation and protect fundamental interests and regional peace and stability. Each of the countries established extensive agreements on deepening and solidifying practical collaboration.

The summit Declaration reiterated that cooperation in economics, trade, investment, connectivity, green agriculture, medical and health care, energy and mineral resources, cargo transit at ports, sub-national levels, and sister cities would be strengthened.

Moreover, the meeting’s Statement noted that after signing a mutual visa exemption agreement, China and Kazakhstan would open consulates general in Xi’an and Aktobe to ease cross-border travel.

China will collaborate with Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, and Turkmenistan to establish cultural centers in each other’s nations. Tajikistan and China will enhance industrial-park collaboration and fully utilize Central Asia’s first Luban Workshop.

Uzbekistan and China will create a comprehensive strategic partnership in the new era and focus on poverty alleviation and innovation. Kyrgyzstan and Uzbekistan will accelerate the China-Kyrgyzstan-Uzbekistan Railway feasibility study.

China and Turkmenistan will prepare the Year of Culture events in each other’s countries and accelerate Turkmenistan’s traditional medical facilities.

Bilateral Meetings of Chinese Foreign Minister with Central Asian Foreign Ministers

On the summit’s sidelines, China’s Foreign Minister met with his counterparts from Central Asian countries.

During the meeting with Kazakstan Foreign Minster Murat Nurtleu, Qin Gang stated that President Xi Jinping and President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev have committed to constructing a China-Kazakhstan society with a shared destiny marked by lasting friendship, a high degree of mutual trust, and sharing weal and woe.

The leaders of both countries have pledged to work together to ensure that the permanent comprehensive strategic cooperation between China and Kazakhstan continues to advance the well-being of their respective populations.

In a conversation between the foreign ministers of China and Kyrgyzstan, both diplomats noted that their countries’ interactions had advanced by leaps and bounds. They have evolved into true strategic partners.

They also underlined that the Intergovernmental Cooperation Committee would help China and Kyrgyzstan collaborate more successfully. Qin Gang also stated that China would help Kyrgyzstan host a successful meeting of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization’s Council of Heads of Government (Prime Ministers) this year.

According to Qin Gang, China and Tajikistan are unbreakable friends. President Xi Jinping and Emomali Rahmon met successfully last year and developed several crucial common understandings.

The two countries will implement mutual understanding and strengthen political confidence. They will work together to support establishing a development and security community between China and Tajikistan.

In a meeting with Uzbekistan’s Foreign Minister, Qin Gang said China-Uzbekistan ties have hit a new high. The two sides would adhere to the shared strategic understandings the two heads of state reached.

They will seek to establish a China-Uzbekistan community with a shared future and achieve more successful results in a mutually beneficial collaboration between China and Uzbekistan across the board.

According to Qin Gang, President Xi Jinping, and President Serdar Berdimuhamedov declared at the beginning of this year their decision to elevate the China-Turkmenistan relationship to a comprehensive strategic partnership and bring into practice the vision of a community with an integrated future at the bilateral level.

According to both countries’ envoys, the encounter marked the start of a new era in bilateral ties. The two nations would follow the strategic guidance of the two Heads of State and continue to drive China-Turkmenistan relations to new heights.