AKIPRESS.COM - President Xi Jinping chaired the virtual summit to commemorate the 30th anniversary of diplomatic relations between China and Central Asian countries on January 25.

During the milestone summit, the six heads of state took stock of past experience and painted a blueprint for the future. They adopted and released the joint statement between leaders of China and the five Central Asian countries on the 30th anniversary of diplomatic ties and reached agreement in the following six areas.

First, they decided to build a community with a shared future for the new era with joint efforts. All sides are determined to follow the four principles of mutual respect, good-neighborly friendship, solidarity in trying times, and mutual benefit, continuously enhance mutual trust and expand cooperation, and promote the sustained and steady development of China-Central Asia relations.

Second, they reiterated support for each other on issues concerning core interests. All sides will continue to resolutely support others’ choice of development paths and governance models, oppose any form of double standards and interference in others’ internal affairs under any pretexts, and support further strengthening the “China plus Central Asia” cooperation mechanism.

Third, they expressed readiness to expand practical cooperation across the board. President Xi proposed that the countries strive to increase their trade to USD 70 billion by 2030, and announced that in the next three years, the Chinese government will provide a grant assistance of USD 500 million to Central Asian countries, and offer 5,000 seminar and workshop opportunities. These statements were welcomed by all parties.

Fourth, they are determined to deepen security cooperation. All parties agreed to continue cooperation in combating the three forces of terrorism, separatism and extremism, and jointly safeguard national political security and regional peace and stability. They agreed to deepen vaccine and health cooperation. President Xi announced an additional aid of 50 million doses of vaccines to Central Asian countries to help them strengthen the immunity barrier. 

Fifth, they stressed the importance of promoting cultural and people-to-people cooperation. President Xi announced that China will provide 1,200 government scholarships to the five Central Asian countries in the next five years, strive to bring the number of sister cities with the five countries to 100 pairs in the next five to ten years, and stands ready to make all five Central Asian countries approved destinations for Chinese tourists.

Sixth, they announced efforts to further expand international cooperation. The six heads of state reaffirmed that they support the Belt and Road Initiative and the Global Development Initiative, firmly uphold multilateralism and universally recognized norms of international law, and will jointly build a community with a shared future for mankind.