Translation. Region: Russian Federal
Source: People’s Republic of China in Russian – People’s Republic of China in Russian –
Source: People’s Republic of China – State Council News
ASTANA, June 22 (Xinhua) — The Xinhua Research Institute on Sunday released a report in the Kazakh capital Astana titled “Development of the Central Asia-China Spirit: Achievements, Possibilities, and Prospects of Regional Cooperation.” The full text of the report is given below.
Development of the “Central Asia-China Spirit”:
achievements, opportunities and prospects of regional cooperation
Xinhua News Agency Research Institute
Table of contents
Preface
Chapter 1. Results of cooperation between China and Central Asia
1.1 Strengthening trade and economic ties
1.2 Infrastructure development and deepening interconnectivity
1.3 Accelerated development of cooperation along the entire production chain in the energy industry
1.4 Innovative cooperation towards a green transition
1.5 Promoting the formation of internal development potential in the countries of Central Asia
1.6 Dialogue of civilizations as a solid spiritual basis for cooperation
1.7 Peace, security and stability as a basis for sustainable development
Chapter 2. Opportunities and Challenges in China-Central Asia Cooperation
2.1 New Opportunities as a Result of China’s Opening Up
2. Potential for cooperation in the field of green economy and digital technologies
2.3 Regional cooperation as a factor of geo-economic expansion
2.4 Risks and challenges in the field of development and security
Chapter 3. Looking to the Future: Strengthening the Regional Community of Shared Destiny
3.1 Mutual support as the basis of a regional community of common destiny
3.2 Joint development for the sake of regional prosperity
3.3 Formation of a common security barrier for stability of the entire region
3.4 Friendship of peoples in the spirit of the times as a guarantee of mutual understanding
Conclusion
Explanatory note and thanks
Preface
Central Asia is the heart of Eurasia, closely linked to China by a common nature and destiny, like two banks of a single river: different, but inseparable. This region is a crossroads of ancient civilizations, where different peoples and customs meet and merge. The region serves as a hub of interregional connections and a real “melting pot” of human culture.
Looking back, we can see how China, together with the peoples of Central Asia, contributed to the establishment and prosperity of the great Silk Road, leaving behind vivid evidence of cooperation over the centuries: “Caravans stretched to the horizon, and overseas merchants flocked to the border outposts day after day.”
In the new era, China and the Central Asian countries have become good neighbors, reliable friends, partners and brothers bound by a common destiny. Together, they are opening a new page of “friendly, safe and prosperous neighborhood” in the Eurasian space, developing and shaping the “Central Asia-China Spirit” characterized by mutual respect, mutual trust, mutual benefit, mutual assistance and promoting joint modernization through high-quality development.
They are creating a model example of regional cooperation for the entire world.
Since Chinese President Xi Jinping put forward the Belt and Road Initiative in 2013, China and Central Asian countries have been working together to promote the comprehensive revival of the Silk Road and build a close partnership for the future. Bilateral relations have entered a new era and reached an unprecedented level. President Xi Jinping has paid nine visits to Central Asia, visiting all five countries and eight cities, and established strong friendship with the leaders of the region. The video summit to mark the 30th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations and the first China-Central Asia Summit have become important milestones in the history of bilateral ties. Based on the interests of their peoples and striving for a brighter future, China and the Central Asian countries have made a historic choice to build a closer community of shared destiny, which once again underscores their determination to develop cooperation at a higher level, with higher standards and on a qualitatively new basis.
The recently concluded second China-Central Asia Summit marked a new start in the development of cooperation between China and the countries of the region. At this historic moment, this report offers a comprehensive overview of the key achievements, existing opportunities and challenges of the China-Central Asia partnership in the new era, as well as forecasts and analytical assessments of the prospects for further cooperation.
The report notes that since the beginning of the new era, cooperation between China and Central Asian countries has borne rich fruit in seven major areas: trade and economic cooperation, infrastructure development, energy cooperation, new areas of partnership, enhancing development potential, mutual cultural enrichment, and joint promotion of peace and stability. China’s high-quality development, high level of its openness, as well as a new round of scientific and technological revolution and industrial transformation create unique opportunities for expanding China-Central Asian cooperation. At the same time, the partnership faces a number of challenges, including unilateral actions, rising protectionism, geopolitical risks, and threats in the field of non-traditional security.
Looking to the future, the report stressed that cooperation between China and Central Asian countries should be based on the concept of building a community with a shared future for mankind and follow the three global initiatives. Mutual support, common development, common security and friendship passed down from generation to generation should remain the fundamental principles, aiming to strengthen the regional community with a shared future, jointly create a new chapter of regional prosperity, build a common security shield and deepen the cordial affinity between the peoples.
We believe that in the new era, cooperation between China and Central Asia will bring sustainable development and more benefits to the peoples of the region, bring stability and positive energy to the troubled world, and become an important example of regional partnership in building a community with a shared future for mankind.
Chapter 1. Results of cooperation between China and Central Asia
Our cooperation is rooted in more than two thousand years of friendly relations, is reinforced by solidarity and mutual trust that has been established for 30 years since the establishment of diplomatic relations, and is significantly moving forward thanks to mutually beneficial cooperation in the new era. Many years of experience and practice have enabled us to develop and shape the “Central Asia-China Spirit”, characterized by mutual respect, mutual trust, mutual benefit, mutual assistance and the promotion of joint modernization through high-quality development.
— Chairman of the People’s Republic of China Xi Jinping
1.1 Strengthening trade and economic ties
In recent years, trade and economic cooperation between China and the Central Asian countries has been steadily developing in both quantitative and qualitative terms. China has become the largest trading partner and the main source of investment for the countries in the region. After the first China-Central Asia Summit was held in 2023, the Chinese side took additional measures to promote trade, ensuring the stable flow of goods and expanding the supply of products from the Central Asian countries. As a result, bilateral trade is becoming increasingly diversified, the potential for economic cooperation continues to be actively realized, and the scale of trade is reaching new levels. The total volume of trade between China and the Central Asian countries reached 94.8 billion US dollars in 2024, an increase of 5.4 billion compared with the previous year, representing an increase of 7.2%. Compared with the initial period of establishing diplomatic relations, when this figure was only 460 million dollars, it has increased more than a hundredfold.
Strategic alignment of the parties. An important feature of cooperation between China and the Central Asian countries is the strategic alignment of key plans and initiatives in the field of economic development. The parties strive for in-depth coordination and alignment of the Belt and Road initiative with the national development programs of the countries of the region: the New Economic Policy of Kazakhstan, the National Development Program of Kyrgyzstan until 2026, the National Development Strategy of Tajikistan for the period up to 2030, the Revival of the Silk Road strategy of Turkmenistan and the Development Strategy of the new Uzbekistan for 2022-2026. Such alignment strengthens practical cooperation in various fields and contributes to the formation of a new model of complementary and mutually beneficial partnership. During the second China-Central Asia Summit, China and the five Central Asian countries signed a treaty on eternal good-neighborliness, friendship and cooperation, which enshrined the principle of friendship between generations in legal form and became a new milestone in the history of relations between the six countries.
Practical cooperation enters the “highway”. As China-Central Asia cooperation deepens, practical cooperation enters the “highway”. The two sides improve trade policies and work hard to ensure a stable, fair, transparent and sustainable investment climate, making trade, investment and business environment even more attractive. As of December 2024, China’s accumulated direct investment in Central Asian countries exceeded US$17 billion, and the total volume of completed contract work amounted to more than US$60 billion. Cooperation covers such areas as oil and gas production, interconnected infrastructure, manufacturing and the digital economy.
In the Xinjiang-Uygursky Autonomous Region of China, bordering the countries of Central Asia, optimizing the work of border crossings with Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan, passes are more quickly and more efficient. The first cross -border cooperation zone of Horgos, jointly created by China and Kazakhstan, has been operating in the innovative model of “inside the country – outside the customs territory (or“ within the country, but outside customs borders ”). This International Center has become a flagship project of bilateral economic cooperation as part of the“ One Belt, One Way. ”The starting point of the ancient shalk track. – Shensi’s province forms the center of trade in widespread consumption, such as grain, fruits and vegetables, together with the countries of the region, China develops international logistics nodes and logistics parks The Center in the north-west of the Ciano International Port, introduced the RFID radio frequency technology, which allowed to reduce the assembly time of new energy cars and increase the efficiency of organizing trains on the route China-Europe.
Chinese -made products, including everyday goods, machine -building equipment and electronic products, are in sustainable demand among consumers in Central Asia. Products from the category of “new three types” became the basis of Chinese exports to the region. At the same time, energy resources and agricultural products from Central Asia countries are expanding the Chinese market, expanding the choice for consumers. China discovered eight “green corridors” for accelerated customs clearance of agricultural products, completely covering all car border crossings. The trade in agricultural products between the parties is rapidly developing. Export to China of high -quality agricultural goods from Central Asia, such as lemons from Tajikistan and cherries from Uzbekistan, is growing rapidly. At the same time, fresh peaches from Hebei province and Yanan apples first entered the tables of consumers in Central Asia. The Kerekhovaya and oil and fat industrial group “Aiju Grain and Oil Group), effectively using complementarity in agrarian cooperation between China and the countries of Central Asia, built and commissioned the logistics and agro-industrial park with a capacity of 1 million tons in the North Kazakhstan region. Chinese standards in the field of equipment, technology, management and service have brought real benefits to the local population. Such interaction contributes to mutually beneficial cooperation in the field of food security. Thanks to the joint efforts of China and the countries of Central Asia, the stability and effectiveness of regional production and logistics chains are ensured.
1.2 Infrastructure development and deepening interconnectivity
Connectivity development is a priority area of cooperation between China and Central Asian countries. The two sides make full use of the region’s geographical advantages to build “fast corridors” for the free movement of people and improve “green corridors” for the efficient movement of goods. These measures help transform Central Asian countries from “landlocked” to “land-connected,” strengthening their position as an important transportation hub on the Eurasian continent. Such infrastructure development improves people’s living conditions and stimulates the unleashing of the potential of higher-level connectivity, including the Internet of Things and other areas of digital integration between China and Central Asia.
China and Central Asian countries have been pioneers in jointly implementing the Belt and Road Initiative, accelerating the construction of the China-Central Asia Transport Corridor and forming a multi-layered and diversified system of regional connectivity. This has resulted in the implementation of many mutually beneficial infrastructure projects. China’s construction of the Kamchik Pass Tunnel of the Angren-Pap Railway, the longest in Central Asia, has eliminated the need to bypass third countries when transporting through Uzbekistan, radically changing the mode of transportation for tens of millions of people. The China-Kyrgyzstan-Uzbekistan Highway, which crosses the Tien Shan Mountains, and the China-Tajikistan-Uzbekistan Highway, which passes through the Pamir Plateau, form a dense network of routes for freight transportation between China and Central Asian countries, significantly improving logistics and bringing tangible benefits to the people of the region.
On December 27, 2024, the construction of the China-Kyrgyzstan-Uzbekistan railway officially began. The route of the new line starts in Kashgar, passes through the territory of Kyrgyzstan and enters Uzbekistan, with the prospect of further construction in the direction of West and South Asia. Once completed, the railway will become an important part of the southern route of the New Eurasian Continental Bridge. It will provide a convenient transport corridor connecting East and Southeast Asia with Central, West Asia, North Africa and Southern Europe. This will significantly reduce the costs of international trade for the participating countries and increase their level of integration into the world economy.
China has signed intergovernmental air transport agreements with all five Central Asian countries, and the opening up of the aviation market continues to progress. Air traffic between Xi’an and the countries in the region has evolved from no routes at all to covering seven cities in all five countries. Currently, eight passenger flights are operating regularly, connecting China with seven cities in Central Asia. These airlines provide a strong link between the economic zones of China and Central Asia, promoting the effective integration of industrial and social supply chains.
The China-Europe and China-Central Asia trains, which operate non-stop day and night, effectively ensure the stability and continuity of international logistics chains. On April 23, a China-Europe freight train with 55 containers of consumer goods and electronic components departed from the Khorgos border station in Xinjiang to the Polish city of Malaszewicze. This trip was a landmark one, as the number of trains passing through the Khorgos railway checkpoint exceeded 3,000, and this figure was reached 27 days earlier than last year. This was a new historical record, exceeding the figure of last year by 28.7%. According to statistics, 19 thousand China-Europe trains were sent in 2024, which is 10% more than in the previous year, and the volume of transportation amounted to 2.07 million TEU (conventional containers), which is 9% higher than the same indicator last year. 12 thousand trains were sent on the China-Central Asia route (an increase of 10%), 880 thousand TEU were transported (an increase of 12%). Currently, the China State Railway Corporation has approved 44 regular routes in the direction of Central Asia, thereby forming new international transport corridors in the Eurasian space.
The Trans-Caspian International Transport Corridor starts in China, passes through Kazakhstan, the Caspian coast, Azerbaijan and Georgia, and then stretches to Turkey and European countries. In July 2024, Chinese President Xi Jinping and Kazakh President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev jointly attended the launch ceremony of the China-Europe direct express route via video link. For the first time, Chinese vehicles reached a Caspian port via a direct road route, which marked the official formation of a multi-level and multi-vector interconnected system combining road, rail, air and pipeline transport.
The China-Europe train consolidation centers are developing at an accelerated pace, forming a more efficient and convenient transportation system. In February 2024, the Kazakhstan terminal in Xi’an, built in cooperation between Xi’an Free Trade Port Construction and Operation Co., Ltd. and KTZ Express JSC, began operating. In just one year, the terminal handled over 150 thousand tons of cargo, which contributes to the accelerated consolidation and distribution of Kazakhstani goods undergoing import and export operations through Xi’an. In addition, the terminal has become the embodiment of Kazakhstan’s initiative to accelerate the creation of a trade and logistics center in China. With the commissioning of the China-Kazakhstan logistics hub in Almaty on June 10 this year, the hub-to-hub transport corridor has moved to a new level.
1.3 Accelerated development of cooperation along the entire production chain in the energy industry
Central Asian countries are important oil and gas producers, and have a high degree of complementarity with China in such aspects as natural resource conditions and industrial structure. In recent years, China and Central Asian countries, through a mutually beneficial cooperation model, have been jointly building multi-vector, safe and efficient energy corridors, consistently expanding cooperation in such basic areas as energy and mining.
Chinese enterprises attach great importance to the development of energy cooperation with the Central Asian countries, building long-term and strong partnerships with relevant government agencies and energy companies in the region. Back in 1997, the China National Petroleum Corporation (CNPC) successfully won a tender for the development of the Akzhuba oil field in Kazakhstan, which marked the beginning of cooperation between China and Kazakhstan in the oil and gas sector. Over the past years, Akzhubin has grown from an enterprise with an annual oil production volume of just over 2 million tons into a large oil and gas company with an annual production of over 10 million tons of oil and gas. On its basis, a full chain of the industry cycle was formed, including oil and gas exploration and production, pipeline construction and operation, oil refining and petroleum product trading, engineering and construction services, oil and gas equipment production and transportation, information technology and logistics support. The project also contributed to the creation of over 20 thousand jobs for the local population.
In Tajikistan, Chinese energy equipment manufacturing companies built and commissioned the Thermal Power Plant No. 2 in Dushanbe, which made it possible to permanently resolve the problem of electricity shortages in the capital in winter. In Kyrgyzstan, with the support of the Chinese side, the modernization of the Bishkek Thermal Power Plant was completed, as a result of which its annual electricity generation increased from the previous 262 million kilowatt-hours to 1.74 billion, and the volume of heat supply almost doubled. In Turkmenistan, as part of the project to develop natural gas fields in the Amu Darya basin, implemented with the participation of the China National Petroleum Corporation, a production level equal to tens of millions of tons of oil equivalent per year has already been achieved, and the annual capacity of natural gas supplies exceeds 10 billion cubic meters. The implementation of a number of such large-scale projects contributes to the steady expansion of oil and gas trade between China and the countries of Central Asia, as well as to the deepening of cooperation along the entire production chain of the energy industry.
Thanks to many years of practical cooperation between China and Central Asian countries, the network of pipeline infrastructure construction and operation is gradually improving. Lines A, B and C of the China-Central Asia gas pipeline, running through endless deserts, have been successfully put into operation and connected to the II and III stages of China’s West-East mainline. The construction of Line D is proceeding at an accelerated pace, bringing real benefits to the people of the countries along the route. In addition, the Kazakhstan-China oil pipeline has become the first international energy corridor directly connecting Kazakhstan with foreign end markets. Its implementation has made a significant contribution to the diversification of Kazakhstan’s energy exports.
With the steady advancement of the Belt and Road Initiative, energy cooperation between China and Central Asian countries continues to deepen. It not only helps improve the region’s energy infrastructure and inject new impetus into the socio-economic development of both sides, but also makes a significant contribution to optimizing the region’s energy structure and ensuring sustainable ecological development.
1.4 Innovative cooperation towards a green transition
Fossil fuels currently account for about 95% of the energy supply in the five Central Asian countries. Against the backdrop of increasing climate change and the global energy transition, the region’s countries are showing growing interest in cooperation in the areas of renewable energy and green economy. However, due to limited financial resources, a shortage of specialists, and an insufficient level of technological development, the implementation of a green transition faces certain difficulties.
During the first China-Central Asia Summit, China and the five countries in the region reached a number of agreements, including launching a joint initiative on green and low-carbon development, as well as deepening cooperation on sustainable development and combating climate change. In support of the Central Asian countries’ course towards ecological transformation, China, using its governance and production advantages in the field of new energy, is actively promoting the region’s significant potential in the field of renewable energy resources.
In early April 2025, the Bash and Dzhankeldy wind energy projects, implemented with the investment and operational participation of China Southern Power Grid, were officially commissioned in Uzbekistan. These facilities have become the largest completed wind farms in Central Asia. Their annual output is expected to be about 3 billion kilowatt-hours of clean electricity, which will reduce carbon dioxide emissions by 1.6 million tons annually.
More and more Chinese companies are investing in the construction of enterprises and the development of green energy in Central Asian countries, actively expanding cooperation in the field of renewable energy sources. In Uzbekistan, a 100-megawatt solar power plant was commissioned in Navoi, in Kazakhstan – a wind farm in Zhanatas, a hydroelectric power station in Turgu-Sun and a solar power plant in Almaty. The Chinese energy corporation China Huadian Group has begun construction of a gas turbine power plant in Aktau and a solar power plant in Sheli. These projects not only provide Central Asian countries with stable and sustainable green electricity, but also contribute to the modernization of local industries and create a significant number of jobs.
China is actively developing international cooperation with Central Asian countries in combating desertification. The practical experience and scientific approaches developed in the framework of ecological recovery of the “Three Norths”, including Ningxia Hui Autonomous Region, Inner Mongolia and other regions, as well as the experience of developing the Taklamakan Desert have become a reference point for Central Asian countries that are facing similar problems of land degradation. Such cooperation not only offers real solutions in the field of sustainable development, but also opens up broad prospects for promoting the green direction within the framework of the “One Belt, One Road” initiative.
The Aral Sea, located on the border of Uzbekistan and Kazakhstan, was previously considered the fourth largest lake in the world. But due to half a century of large-scale development of land and water resources, its area has shrunk from about 67,000 square kilometers in 1960 to about 6,000 square kilometers in 2020. This has caused serious environmental consequences: desertification, soil salinization, loss of biodiversity, and other problems. In the face of the environmental crisis, China and Central Asian countries have joined forces to implement comprehensive measures to restore the ecosystem of the Aral region. The Institute of Ecology and Geography of the Xinjiang Branch of the Chinese Academy of Sciences signed a cooperation agreement with the government of Uzbekistan and specialized organizations aimed at the ecological rehabilitation of the Aral Sea. In 2023, a pilot site was organized in the city of Nukus in western Uzbekistan, where drip irrigation technology under a film with the simultaneous supply of water and fertilizers for growing cotton was tested. Already in the first year, the yield reached a record level for this region. Currently, the institute’s specialists continue to work in the city of Muynak, located on the shallow coast. Here, salt- and drought-resistant plant species are being selected, which will become the basis for the future “greening” of the dried-up seabed and the restoration of the region’s ecosystems.
1.5 Promoting the formation of internal development potential in the countries of Central Asia
“China’s experience in overcoming poverty clearly shows that with persistence, step-by-step implementation of a unified plan, and persistence like a drop breaking through a rock, the problem of poverty in developing countries can be solved. Even the weakest bird can fly first – and fly high. If China can do it, other developing countries can too.” These are the words with which Chinese President Xi Jinping shared China’s experience in combating poverty with the world community at the G20 Leaders’ Summit in Rio de Janeiro in November 2024.
Poverty is a long-standing problem of human society and a common challenge facing the entire world. China’s experience in combating poverty has attracted the attention of the international community and has become an important source of inspiration for Central Asian countries. China’s cooperation with the countries of the region has gradually shifted from the traditional one-sided “donor aid” to a model of mutual development based on technology transfer, industrial modernization, personnel training and other forms of assistance. This contributes to the joint formation of internal potential for sustainable growth and social stability.
Implementation of targeted projects on poverty reduction with an emphasis on technology localization in accordance with the needs of Central Asian countries. China and the Central Asian countries are actively developing specialized cooperation in the field of scientific and technological support for poverty alleviation. Taking into account regional characteristics and industry constraints, the parties are accelerating the transfer of technologies to upgrade production in areas such as agricultural modernization, energy transition and infrastructure development. Within the framework of the first China-Central Asia summit, China and Uzbekistan agreed to establish a subcommittee on cooperation in the field of poverty reduction under the Intergovernmental Cooperation Committee. This is the first such subcommittee established by China in the format of interstate cooperation. Since the launch of the China-Uzbekistan cooperation mechanism on poverty reduction, the parties have achieved significant results in the areas of institutional development, personnel training and exchange of practical experience. These efforts not only contribute to the socio-economic development of Uzbekistan, but also significantly expand the content of the bilateral partnership. According to a joint study conducted by the National Statistics Committee of the Republic of Uzbekistan and the World Bank, in 2024, 719 thousand people overcame the poverty line, and the overall poverty level in the country decreased to 8.9%.
In recent years, Northwest University of Agricultural and Forestry Science and Technology of China, based on its strong scientific areas (crop breeding, plant protection from diseases and pests, water-saving irrigation, veterinary medicine and animal husbandry, development of saline lands and food processing), has established eight overseas agricultural research and demonstration parks in Central Asian countries. One of them, a demonstration park for the technology of breeding elite varieties of fruit trees, was founded in Kyrgyzstan in 2023 in cooperation with local universities and enterprises. Taking into account the hot and dry climate of the region, which is unfavorable for growing apple trees, Chinese agricultural experts developed and selected variety-rootstock combinations. These combinations showed higher efficiency of moisture use and better survival rate compared to traditional seedlings, which made it possible to significantly increase yields and contribute to an increase in the income of local gardeners.
Implementation of technical skills development programs as a basis for building domestic development potential. The Lu Ban Workshops, named after the legendary Chinese craftsman Lu Ban, have become a new platform for international cooperation in vocational education. In Central Asian countries, these workshops develop technical training programs based on the actual needs of local development, providing sustainable support for industrialization and poverty reduction in the region.
Kazakhstan has become the first country in Central Asia to introduce electric vehicles on new energy sources on a large scale. However, despite the rapid growth of this sector, the country is experiencing a serious shortage of qualified specialists capable of servicing such vehicles. In December 2023, the first “Lu Ban Workshop” began operating in Kazakhstan. The first educational program was “Vehicles and Technologies”. Four training and production zones were created for practical training: on vehicle maintenance, traditional (fuel) transport systems, vehicles on new energy sources, and intelligent network transport systems. In response to the needs of the local labor market, in 2024 the workshop developed a number of new courses, including “Transmission and Intelligent Vehicle Control Technologies”, “Driver Assistance Systems (ADAS)”, and others. In addition, a new educational program “Smart Transport and Artificial Intelligence” was launched. Graduates of the Lu Ban Workshop are in high demand, and are actively invited to work by the largest automakers, as well as enterprises in the metallurgical and mining industries of Kazakhstan. In July 2024, China decided to open a second Lu Ban Workshop in the country, which will focus on training personnel for the rapidly developing artificial intelligence industry.
At the same time, Lu Ban Workshops is implementing a “dual education” model – a combination of Chinese language training and professional skills development, which helps integrate the education system with the real needs of industry. In the context of the implementation of the “One Belt, One Road” initiative, Chinese enterprises are actively being created in Central Asian countries, which opens up broad employment opportunities for local people. The “Chinese language professional skills” model effectively improves the skills of local people through short-term courses, extra-academic and formal vocational training programs. This not only helps partially solve the problem of shortage of qualified personnel for enterprises with Chinese participation, but also promotes job creation, and thus contributes to socio-economic development and improving the standard of living in the region.
1.6 Dialogue of civilizations as a solid spiritual basis for cooperation
More than two thousand years ago, the civilization of central China and the cultures of Central Asia entered an era of deep integration thanks to the ancient Silk Road. This historical process laid the foundation for mutually beneficial cultural exchange and coexistence, becoming a solid foundation for modern inter-civilizational dialogue and cultural solidarity. Today, civilizational interaction between China and the Central Asian countries continues at a new level. It not only preserves and develops the cultural genes of the Silk Road era, but also serves as a powerful spiritual resource for promoting the idea of a community with a common destiny for humanity in the context of global transformation.
A thousand-year-old friendship with the aroma of medicine remains forever. Since the emergence of the Silk Road, traditional Chinese medicine began to spread to the countries of Central Asia along with trade caravans, gradually integrating with local medical practices and contributing to their development. The Xi’an Declaration of the first China-Central Asia Summit particularly emphasized the need to “promote the establishment of traditional Chinese medicine centers, develop cooperation in the field of growing and processing medicinal herbs, and jointly pave the “Healthy Silk Road”.” In recent years, China’s cooperation with the Central Asian countries in the field of traditional medicine has been actively expanding on the basis of a number of specific joint projects. A multi-layered partnership network is being formed, covering healthcare, education and scientific research. Traditional Chinese medicine is becoming an important link, strengthening humanitarian ties and mutual understanding between the peoples of China and Central Asia.
In March 2023, the Fourth Clinical Hospital of Xinjiang Medical University (regional hospital of traditional Chinese medicine), together with the Institute of Physical and Chemical Technology of the Xinjiang Branch of the Chinese Academy of Sciences, founded the first Center for Treatment and Training of Specialists in Traditional Chinese Medicine in Central Asia in Tashkent. As part of the project, 14 Chinese therapy methods, including acupuncture and Tuina massage, were successfully integrated into the regional healthcare system. In September of the same year, the above-mentioned hospital won a tender for the implementation of a national project to establish a China-Uzbekistan Center for Traditional Chinese Medicine. And in October, a course in Chinese medicine became a mandatory discipline in the bachelor’s degree program in traditional medicine at Tashkent State Medical University. This became the first full-fledged introduction of Chinese medicine into the higher education system of Central Asia, opening the way for the systematic training of specialized personnel locally.
Culture as a bridge to bring hearts together.
The Year of Tourism, the Year of Culture and the Central Asian Art Festival have been very popular with the Chinese people, and Chinese TV series such as “Minning City” and “My Altai” have resonated with Central Asian viewers. In order to implement key high-level agreements, China and Turkmenistan organized mutual Years of Culture in 2023-2024, thereby demonstrating their desire to strengthen humanitarian cooperation. Both countries have rich cultural heritage and centuries-old history. Through dance, vocal and theatrical arts, the parties presented their national identity and artistic originality, which contributed to deep cultural integration and rapprochement of peoples.
The Nauryz holiday is an ancient tradition of the peoples of Central Asia. In March 2025, an art group from the Samarkand region of Uzbekistan presented a vibrant festive program at the Silk Road Happy World Cultural Park in the Chinese city of Xi’an. Through songs and dances, the artists conveyed the atmosphere of spring renewal, and the treat of national dishes turned the performance into a real gastronomic holiday. In April, the Consulate General of the Republic of Kazakhstan in Xi’an organized festive events in honor of Nauryz. The program included a friendly mini-football match, traditional national games, a talent contest, as well as performances of Kazakh folk music and dance. The goal of the holiday was to promote ethnocultural traditions, deepen people’s diplomacy and expand platforms for multilateral humanitarian exchange.
Cultural and tourist exchange on the Silk Road is a movement towards each other. Tourism is becoming one of the most dynamically developing areas of cooperation between China and the Central Asian countries. The basis for this is not only favorable natural conditions and geographical proximity, but also a common historical and cultural heritage, as well as the complementary needs of the tourism markets of both sides. Deepening political trust, coordinated use of tourism resources and active market interaction make it possible to form a balanced and mutually respectful model of tourism as a form of humanitarian partnership. This gives new energy to the construction of a regional community of a common destiny and strengthens the cultural relationship between peoples.
Central Asia is one of the fastest growing and most promising regions for inbound tourism to China. At the same time, China remains a key source of tourist flow for the countries of the region. All five Central Asian states are already fully included in the list of priority destinations for outbound tourism for Chinese citizens. In order to expand cross-border tourism, the Central Asian countries are consistently implementing measures to liberalize the visa regime. Since 2021, Uzbekistan has become the first country in the region to grant Chinese citizens the right to a visa-free stay for up to 10 days; to enter, it is enough to have a valid passport and confirmation of the travel itinerary. In November 2023, China and Kazakhstan signed an agreement on a full mutual visa-free regime, providing for the possibility of staying in the partner’s territory for up to 30 days without the need for a visa. Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan have introduced electronic visa systems, significantly simplifying the entry procedure. On June 1, 2025, the “Agreement between the Government of the People’s Republic of China and the Government of the Republic of Uzbekistan on the mutual abolition of visas” came into force, which became another step towards strengthening humanitarian ties and facilitating mutual travel between the two countries.
By holding tourism presentations, thematic exhibitions and other promotional activities, both sides consistently increase the recognition of tourism brands, which contributes to the growth of the attractiveness of cross-border tourism. 2024 was declared the Year of Kazakhstan Tourism in China. Thanks to the introduction of a mutual visa-free regime, there was a sharp increase in tourist flow in both directions, the number of Kazakhstani tourists visiting China increased by 31%, and the number of Chinese citizens visiting Kazakhstan increased by more than 50%. On May 29, 2025, the first cultural and tourist train “China – Central Asia” was launched, opening a new route for humanitarian interaction in the Eurasian space. This project not only strengthened the transport interconnectivity between the regions, but also gave new content to the humanitarian dimension of Chinese-Central Asian cooperation.
1.7 Peace, security and stability as a basis for sustainable development
At the first China-Central Asia Summit held on May 19, 2023, Chinese President Xi Jinping emphasized that the sovereignty, security, independence and territorial integrity of Central Asian countries must be reliably protected. The development path freely chosen by the peoples of the region should be respected. Central Asia’s efforts to ensure peace, good-neighborliness and stability deserve full and comprehensive support.
In the Xi’an Declaration of the First China-Central Asia Summit, all parties unanimously noted the exceptional importance of ensuring national security, political stability and constitutional order. Any interference in the internal affairs of other states, regardless of form and pretext, including attempts to undermine the legitimate state power and organize so-called “color revolutions”, was strongly condemned. The parties also expressed firm rejection of all forms of terrorism, separatism and extremism, and confirmed their readiness to jointly combat the “three evil forces”, as well as drug trafficking, transnational organized crime, cybercrime and other types of threats. At the same time, the summit participants declared their intention to strengthen the exchange of experience on ensuring the security of key facilities and large-scale events, as well as jointly promote the safe and sustainable implementation of strategically significant projects.
In recent years, China and the Central Asian countries have been developing comprehensive and multi-level cooperation in maintaining regional peace and stability in order to build a security community. The parties are actively increasing cooperation in the fight against terrorism, developing effective formats for multilateral interaction, and seeking new, innovative solutions in the field of security. Cooperation has been consistently expanding in key areas such as border control, countering terrorism in cyberspace, and conducting joint operations. These efforts contribute to the formation of a reliable regional security network and give a powerful impetus to ensuring long-term stability.
In September 2024, the mechanism of the first meeting of the ministers of public security and internal affairs of China and Central Asian countries was officially launched in Lianyungang. The parties reached a number of agreements on countering transnational crime, extremism and cybercrime, and agreed to establish a permanent mechanism for exchanging information and conducting joint operations. In the same month, a meeting of the chief justices of the Supreme Courts of China and Central Asian countries was held in Urumqi, during which the parties agreed to intensify international judicial cooperation and joint efforts to combat violent extremism and terrorism. Representatives of Uzbekistan, Kazakhstan and other countries shared their experiences in the field of anti-terrorism legislation and its enforcement, which gave impetus to the formation of a new format for regional coordination in the fight against terrorism. In April 2025, at the sixth meeting of China-Central Asia foreign ministers, the participants expressed support for the establishment of the SCO Anti-Drug Center in Dushanbe. The center will operate in conjunction with the Central Asian Regional Information and Coordination Center for Combating Illicit Drug Trafficking, which will strengthen measures to identify drug trafficking and combat transnational crime.
At the same time, China and the Central Asian countries are making efforts to deepen the institutionalization of cooperation in law enforcement and security. Multilateral and bilateral joint exercises and border patrols are held on a regular basis, which significantly reduces the space for the so-called “three evil forces”. This set of measures effectively promotes the protection of common interests in the field of security and makes a significant contribution to maintaining peace and stability in the region.
The Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region of China borders on Central Asian countries. Since the first China-Central Asia Summit, China has consistently promoted security cooperation between Xinjiang and neighboring countries, strengthening cross-border cooperation mechanisms and jointly building a reliable border security line aimed at protecting peace and stability in the region. Given the complex geographical conditions and special challenges in border control in the border areas between China and Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan, local authorities and relevant departments of both sides have been implementing innovative cooperation models.
In November 2024, the first meeting of the Chinese-Kazakh mechanism of coordination of the activities of local authorities on the International Center for Border Cooperation “Horgos” was held in Sinjiang in the city of Horgos. The parties discussed the joint promotion of the high-quality development of the Center, as well as the strengthening of the interregional interaction between the Xinjiang-Uyghur Autonomous Region and the Zhetysu region of Kazakhstan. During the meeting, the participants exchanged views on a number of key areas of cooperation, including infrastructure development, organizing cross -border tourism, normalizing the border market environment, expanding interaction in the field of phytosanitary and veterinary control, as well as joint measures to combat crime. According to the results of the meeting, “Protocol of the first meeting of the mechanism for coordination of the activities of local authorities” and “Memorandum on the creation of a zone of cooperation in the field of cross -border tourism“ Horgos ”” were signed. In January 2025, the first meeting of the joint Sino-Kazakh commission on state border issues took place in Beijing. The parties officially announced the creation of the commission, approved its charter and highly appreciated the current state of bilateral relations, as well as the progress in the implementation of the “agreement between China and Kazakhstan on the regime of managing the state border”. It was noted that between the two countries, clearly certain boundaries were established, the border areas retain the atmosphere of stability, peace and good neighborliness. Both parties expressed their readiness to use the creation of a commission as an important impulse to further deepen cooperation in the field of border control, thereby making a contribution to the sustainable development of a comprehensive strategic partnership between China and Kazakhstan.
Today, a stable, united and peaceful region is rapidly emerging in Central Asia, making a significant contribution to peace and stability, thereby creating a solid foundation for building a closer community with a shared future “China-Central Asia”. In March 2025, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan and Uzbekistan signed a border alignment agreement, finally settling border issues, which became a model for strengthening peace, stability and prosperity in the region. /follows/