China vows belt of cooperation, development with Central Asia

Chinese State Councilor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi hosts the second meeting of China + Central Asia (C+C5) foreign ministers meeting in Xi'an, capital of northwest China's Shaanxi Province, May 12, 2021. The meeting was attended by Kazakh Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Mukhtar Tleuberdi, Kyrgyz Foreign Minister Ruslan Kazakbaev, Tajik Foreign Minister Sirojiddin Muhriddin, Turkmen Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Rashid Meredov, and Uzbek Foreign Minister Abdulaziz Kamilov. (Xinhua/Wei Xiang)

XI'AN, May 12 (Xinhua) -- China on Wednesday pledged to jointly build a belt of mutually beneficial cooperation and development with Central Asian countries, to forge a community with a shared future for China and Central Asia.

The pledge was delivered as Chinese State Councilor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi hosted the second meeting of China + Central Asia (C+C5) foreign ministers meeting in Xi'an, capital of northwest China's Shaanxi Province.

Wang said that China and the Central Asian countries have constantly injected impetus into coordinated regional development and economic recovery, making concrete contributions to regional peace and development. The collective cooperation between China and Central Asia comes at the right time, with promising prospects, Wang added.

Noting that this year marks the 30th anniversary of the independence of the C5 countries, Wang said China and the Central Asian countries have carried forward friendship and explored cooperation over the past three decades. He cited the settlement of historical border issues via peaceful talks, the safeguarding of people's security and their active participation in jointly building the Belt and Road.

Wang went on to propose united efforts in response to COVID-19, saying that China is ready to work with all sides to put in place a notification mechanism for major epidemics as soon as possible, give active consideration to offering a new batch of vaccine assistance, and carry out cooperation on development and the joint production of vaccines.

On fostering pilot zones along the Silk Road economic belt, Wang said that China is willing to better synergize with C5 countries on markets, products, rules and funding, and improve the quality and scale of trade. He also called for jointly building a grand Eurasian passageway of interconnectivity based on open cooperation.

On the subject of boosting regional security, Wang called for cooperation on preventing transnational organized crime and controlling the drugs trade, among other issues. He also urged staunch mutual support on safeguarding national sovereignty and clear opposition to foreign intervention. To ensure a stable transition of the situation in Afghanistan, Wang said that foreign troops based there should withdraw in an orderly and responsible manner.

Wang also pledged China's cooperation with C5 countries on the response to climate change and biodiversity protection.

Wang briefed the press about three joint statements released at the meeting. Referring to the first, he said that all sides called for deepening cooperation on their response to the pandemic, jointly opposing "vaccine nationalism" and "the gap of immunity." He said the second statement relates to deepening local cooperation and putting in place subnational cooperation mechanisms, while the third concerns working toward peaceful reconciliation in Afghanistan.

The meeting was attended by Kazakh Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Mukhtar Tleuberdi, Kyrgyz Foreign Minister Ruslan Kazakbaev, Tajik Foreign Minister Sirojiddin Muhriddin, Turkmen Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Rashid Meredov, and Uzbek Foreign Minister Abdulaziz Kamilov.