XIAN: China’s leader, Xi Jinping, is kicking off a summit on Thursday that the country is heralding as a historic milestone, rolling out the red carpet for five Central Asian countries that are critical to China’s regional ambitions.
The inaugural China-Central Asia summit is part of China’s broader aim to strengthen economic and political partnerships with like-minded countries, to counter what it sees as a US-dominated world order that is trying to contain and suppress China. Central Asian heads of state converged in China’s historic city of Xian on Thursday for one-on-ones with President Xi to seal pledges of “enduring” friendship. China’s foreign ministry said an “important” political document will be signed during the meet. Notably, Xi’s summit was scheduled on the eve of the annual G7 summit in Hiroshima, Japan, which begins on Friday.
Across the city of Xian, from where the ancient Silk Road linked imperial China with civilisations to its west over a millennium ago, banners, billboards and even taxi signs were set up to promote the summit.
China is intensifying its economic and political engagement with the former Soviet states as Russia channels what remaining resources it has into the war in Ukraine. Some Central Asian states are increasingly standing up to Moscow, with Kazakhstan not recognising Russian-controlled regions in eastern Ukraine to Tajikistan demanding more “respect” from the Kremlin.
The inaugural China-Central Asia summit is part of China’s broader aim to strengthen economic and political partnerships with like-minded countries, to counter what it sees as a US-dominated world order that is trying to contain and suppress China. Central Asian heads of state converged in China’s historic city of Xian on Thursday for one-on-ones with President Xi to seal pledges of “enduring” friendship. China’s foreign ministry said an “important” political document will be signed during the meet. Notably, Xi’s summit was scheduled on the eve of the annual G7 summit in Hiroshima, Japan, which begins on Friday.
Across the city of Xian, from where the ancient Silk Road linked imperial China with civilisations to its west over a millennium ago, banners, billboards and even taxi signs were set up to promote the summit.
China is intensifying its economic and political engagement with the former Soviet states as Russia channels what remaining resources it has into the war in Ukraine. Some Central Asian states are increasingly standing up to Moscow, with Kazakhstan not recognising Russian-controlled regions in eastern Ukraine to Tajikistan demanding more “respect” from the Kremlin.