XIAN: Xi Jinping has urged China and Central Asia to “fully unleash” their potential for trade, economic, and infrastructural cooperation.
In an address to the leaders of the strategically significant Central Asian countries on Friday, the Chinese president stated that they must “fully unleash the potential of traditional cooperation in economy, trade, industrial capacity, energy, and transport.”
According to AFP, he emphasised the need to create “new growth drivers… such as finance, agriculture, poverty reduction, low carbon, health, and digital innovation”.
According to Xi, “China and Central Asian nations should strengthen their strategic mutual trust and consistently provide each other with strong, clear support on matters pertaining to core interests.”
The Chinese leader is hosting the presidents of Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, and Uzbekistan in a summit in the northern Chinese city of Xi’an, a gathering Beijing has dubbed a “milestone” in importance.
Beijing said that trade with Central Asia increased to $70 billion in 2022 and further increased by 22% in the first quarter of 2023.
The Belt and Road Initiative, a trillion-dollar Chinese global infrastructure initiative, likewise heavily relies on this region.
Beijing is eager to resume collaboration and fill the void left in former Soviet republics by Russia’s war in Ukraine, making the programme a defining geopolitical endeavour for Xi.
On Friday, Xi said that in order to “maintain everlasting friendship,” the region and China must “take the lead” in that effort and “deepen strategic mutual trust.”
“China welcomes the participation of Central Asian countries in the special cooperative plans under the Belt and Road Initiative, including sustainable development technologies, innovation and entrepreneurship, and spatial information technology,” Xi added.
He emphasised the need to increase security cooperation in the face of the separatism, terrorism, and extremism that Beijing has labelled the “three evils” in the region.
Alluding to instability in former Soviet republics, he stated, “The six countries should resolutely reject foreign involvement in the internal affairs of regional countries and attempts to promote “colour revolutions.”
With this week’s meeting, Xi is attempting to establish himself as a world leader eager to extend China’s influence far beyond its boundaries.
Zhiqun Zhu, a professor of international relations and political science at Bucknell University, told AFP that Xi would present himself as a leader who could advance world peace and prosperity.
The summit also coincides with a G7 gathering in Hiroshima, which Zhu observed will likely centre on initiatives to “push back China’s growing influence around the world.”
