专访 | 许勤华：A closer China-Central Asia community with future

The first China-Central Asia Summit is a historic milestone in China-Central Asia relations, greatly contributing to the institutionalized and sustainable cooperation among China and the five Central Asian countries. The Summit has reached vital consensus and brought with abundant outcomes, which are of critical significance to regional stability and prosperity.

Among the rich achievements of the Summit, the establishment of a slew of new mechanisms and platforms, especially the inauguration of summit mechanism and a permanent secretariat, will facilitate the all-round and in-depth cooperation between China and Central Asian countries, strengthening political trust and policy coordination among each other.

Regional security has always been the focus of Central Asia. The Summit reiterated the resolve and solidarity of combating terrorism, separatism and extremism, and stressed mutual support on issues concerning core interests. This consensus will further promote regional security cooperation and add to the strategic partnerships within the region.

Just as President Xi Jinping pointed out that the world needs a stable, harmonious, prosperous and interconnected Central Asia, the region is making greater contributions yet facing numerous and complex challenges. At this very moment, the call for a closer China-Central Asia community with a shared future rises to the occasion, and means a lot to not only the six member countries, but also to the whole world.

Consistent with the common interest and desire of the six countries, a closer China-Central Asia community with a shared future will make China-Central Asia ties grow even stronger. Given the unique geographical advantages of Central Asia, a closer China-Central Asia community, which will bring greater internal stability and prosperity to the region, is also a valuable asset to the rest of the world, and thus a promising and ideal public good for the whole world.

The Summit highlighted the contributions of the Belt and Road Initiative as an essential platform to bring tangible benefits for all parties. Over the past decade, the five Central Asian countries have taken an active part in the Belt and Road cooperation, and become the hub of Eurasian land transportation and trade. Through the revitalized Silk Road, Central Asian countries have gained access to China’s huge market to achieve vibrant economic growth, while China has better tapped the potential of western China and made it a new front of opening up.

China and Central Asian countries have strengthened policy coordination, trade connectivity, financial facilitation, energy cooperation, and mutual communication in various fields. Both sides are working hand in hand in cultural and educational exchanges. For example, my Kazakh student, who graduated from RUC and works in an international energy service company based in Houston, has now been playing important roles in bilateral relationships. In terms of energy cooperation, China and Central Asian countries have collaborated in not only the oil and gas sector, but also in energy efficiency and CCUS technology, etc. Besides, agricultural technology and other innovative technology cooperation have also given fresh impetus to the economic development of the region, according to our RUC research team.

Taking the inaugural China-Central Asia Summit as a new starting point, the region as well as the entire world is to embrace a brighter shared future.