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Category: Central Asia

  • MIL-OSI Security: Regional Cooperation 25: Strengthening Regional Security and Partnership

    Source: United States Central Command (CENTCOM)

    JOINT BASE CAPE COD, Mass. — Nearly 250 military personnel from Kazakhstan, Kyrgyz Republic, Pakistan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan (U.N. neutral participant), Uzbekistan, Mongolia, and the United States, along with observers from Armenia, United Kingdom, and Georgia, began the 14-day Regional Cooperation 25 exercise June 16 at Joint Base Cape Cod.
    Hosted by the Massachusetts Army National Guard, the multilateral command post and field training exercise runs through June 27 and is the largest U.S. Central Command-led military-to-military exercise involving Central and South Asian (CASA) partners.

    MIL Security OSI –

  • MIL-OSI Global: AI helps tell snow leopards apart, improving population counts for these majestic mountain predators

    Source: The Conversation – USA – By Eve Bohnett, Assistant Scholar, Center for Landscape Conservation Planning, University of Florida

    Snow leopards are hard to find and count, which makes protecting them difficult. zahoor salmi/Moment via Getty Images

    Snow leopards are known as the “ghosts of the mountains” for a reason. Imagine waiting for months in the harsh, rugged mountains of Asia, hoping to catch even a glimpse of one. These elusive big cats move silently across rocky slopes, their pale coats blending so seamlessly with snow and stone that even the most seasoned biologists seldom spot them in the wild.

    Travel writer Peter Matthiessen spent two months in 1973 searching the Tibetan plateau for them and wrote a 300-page book about the effort. He never saw one. Forty years later, Peter’s son Alex retraced his father’s steps – and didn’t see one either.

    Researchers have struggled to come up with a figure for the global population. In 2017, the International Union for Conservation of Nature reclassified the snow leopard from endangered to vulnerable, citing estimates of between 2,500 and 10,000 adults in the wild. However, the group also warned that numbers continue to decline in many areas due to habitat loss, poaching and human-wildlife conflict. Those who study these animals want to help protect the species and their habitat – if only we can determine exactly where they live and how many there are.

    Traditional tracking methods – searching for footprints, droppings and other signs – have their limits. Instead of waiting for a lucky face-to-face encounter, conservationists from the Wildlife Conservation Society, led by experts including Stéphane Ostrowski and Sorosh Poya Faryabi, began deploying automated camera traps in Afghanistan. These devices snap photos whenever movement is detected, capturing thousands of images over months, all in hopes of obtaining a rare glimpse of a snow leopard.

    But capturing images is only half the battle. The next, even harder task is telling one snow leopard apart from another.

    Are these the same animal or different ones? It’s really hard to tell.
    Eve Bohnett, CC BY-ND

    At first glance, it might sound simple: Each snow leopard has a unique pattern of black rosettes on its coat, like a fingerprint or a face in a crowd. Yet in practice, identifying individuals by these patterns is slow, subjective and prone to error. Photos may be taken at odd angles, under poor lighting, or with parts of the animal obscured – making matches tricky.

    A common mistake happens when photos from different cameras are marked as depicting different animals when they actually show the same individual, inflating population estimates. Worse, camera trap images can get mixed up or misfiled, splitting encounters of one cat across multiple batches and identities.

    I am a data analyst working with Wildlife Conservation Society and other partners at Wild Me. My work and others’ has found that even trained experts can misidentify animals, failing to recognize repeat visitors at locations monitored by motion-sensing cameras and counting the same animal more than once. One study found that the snow leopard population was overestimated by more than 30% because of these human errors.

    To avoid these pitfalls, researchers follow camera sorting guidelines: At least three clear pattern differences or similarities must be confirmed between two images to declare them the same or different cats. Images too blurry, too dark or taken from difficult angles may have to be discarded. Identification efforts range from easy cases with clear, full-body shots to ambiguous ones needing collaboration and debate. Despite these efforts, variability remains, and more experienced observers tend to be more accurate.

    Now people trying to count snow leopards are getting help from artificial intelligence systems, in two ways.

    Spotting the spots

    Modern AI tools are revolutionizing how we process these large photo libraries. First, AI can rapidly sort through thousands of images, flagging those that contain snow leopards and ignoring irrelevant ones such as those that depict blue sheep, gray-and-white mountain terrain, or shadows.

    Unique spots and spot patterns are key to telling snow leopards apart.
    Eve Bohnett, CC BY-NC-ND

    AI can identify individual snow leopards by analyzing their unique rosette patterns, even when poses or lighting vary. Each snow leopard encounter is compared with a catalog of previously identified photos and assigned a known ID if there is a match, or entered as a new individual if not.

    In a recent study, several colleagues and I evaluated two AI algorithms, both separately and in tandem.

    The first algorithm, called HotSpotter, identifies individual snow leopards by comparing key visual features such as coat patterns, highlighting distinctive “hot spots” with a yellow marker.

    The second is a newer method called pose invariant embeddings, which operates similar to facial recognition technology: It recognizes layers of abstract features in the data, identifying the same animal regardless of how it is positioned in the photo or what kind of lighting there may be.

    We trained these systems using a curated dataset of photos of snow leopards from zoos in the U.S., Europe and Tajikistan, and with images from the wild, including in Afghanistan.

    Alone, each model worked about 74% of the time, correctly identifying the cat from a large photo library. But when combined, the two systems together were correct 85% of the time.

    These algorithms were integrated into Wildbook, an open-source, web-based software platform developed by the nonprofit organization Wild Me and now adopted by ConservationX. We deployed the combined system on a free website, Whiskerbook.org, where researchers can upload images, seek matches using the algorithms, and confirm those matches with side-by-side comparisons. This site is among a growing family of AI-powered wildlife platforms that are helping conservation biologists work more efficiently and more effectively at protecting species and their habitats.

    A view from an online wildlife-tracking system suggests a possible match for a snow leopard caught by a remote camera.
    Wildbook/Eve Bohnett, CC BY-ND

    Humans still needed

    These AI systems aren’t error-proof. AI quickly narrows down candidates and flags likely matches, but expert validation ensures accuracy, especially with tricky or ambiguous photos.

    Another study we conducted pitted AI-assisted groups of experts and novices against each other. Each was given a set of three to 10 images of 34 known captive snow leopards and asked to use the Whiskerbook platform to identify them. They were also asked to estimate how many individual animals were in the set of photos.

    The experts accurately matched about 90% of the images and delivered population estimates within about 3% of the true number. In contrast, the novices identified only 73% of the cats and underestimated the total number, sometimes by 25% or more, incorrectly merging two individuals into one.

    Both sets of results were better than when experts or novices did not use any software.

    The takeaway is clear: Human expertise remains important, and combining it with AI support leads to the most accurate results. My colleagues and I hope that by using tools like Whiskerbook and the AI systems embedded in them, researchers will be able to more quickly and more confidently study these elusive animals.

    With AI tools like Whiskerbook illuminating the mysteries of these mountain ghosts, we have another way to safeguard snow leopards – but success depends on continued commitment to protecting their fragile mountain homes.

    Eve Bohnett receives funding from San Diego State Research Foundation and Wildlife Conservation Society. She is affiliated with University of Florida.

    – ref. AI helps tell snow leopards apart, improving population counts for these majestic mountain predators – https://theconversation.com/ai-helps-tell-snow-leopards-apart-improving-population-counts-for-these-majestic-mountain-predators-258154

    MIL OSI – Global Reports –

  • MIL-OSI Russia: Shanxi Province and Uzbekistan Establish Joint Archaeological Center in Fergana

    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

    BEIJING, June 18 (Xinhua) — North China’s Shanxi Province has made significant progress in international archaeological cooperation. The Fergana-Shanxi Joint Archaeological Center and the Laboratory for the Protection and Restoration of Cultural Relics were recently opened at Fergana State University in Uzbekistan, according to the provincial government’s official website.

    The parties will cooperate in depth in the areas of joint archaeological research, personnel training, archaeology using scientific technologies and the protection of cultural relics.

    Since the signing of the cooperation agreement between the Shanxi Provincial Institute of Archaeology and Fergana State University in October 2024, the two sides have been actively implementing the provisions of the agreement, developing exchanges and cooperation in various fields.

    In March 2025, they held talks to deepen cooperation and reached a consensus, laying a more solid foundation for future joint work. From May 9 to 12, the Shanxi Provincial Institute of Archaeology, together with three professors and teachers from the History Department of Fergana State University, conducted a 4-day archaeological survey in the Fergana Valley. During the survey, 9 ancient sites from the Bronze and Iron Ages were examined.

    The joint archaeological team applied a variety of advanced technological methods to comprehensively and in detail study the state of preservation of the sites, their cultural appearance, the history of archaeological research, and the relationship between the settlements and burial grounds. This allowed us to obtain key data on the archaeological sites of the region, providing strong support for subsequent in-depth archaeological excavations and research work.

    Fan Wenqian, Director of the Shanxi Provincial Institute of Archaeology, said that promoting cooperation with Fergana State University in such areas as joint archaeological research, personnel training, archaeology using scientific technology, protection of cultural relics, exhibition, etc. is not only a responsibility but also a mission. The cooperation will not only enable a deep study of the historical and cultural content of the Fergana Valley, but also train more professional personnel with an international outlook for the archaeological circles of Shanxi, which will further enhance the international influence of Shanxi archaeology.

    As it became known, from September to October 2025, employees of the Institute of Archaeology of Shanxi Province will again be in the Fergana Valley to conduct joint archaeological work. -0-

    MIL OSI Russia News –

  • MIL-OSI Russia: SCO Member States Intend to Strengthen Cooperation in Digital Technologies

    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

    URUMQI, June 18 (Xinhua) — Participants from various countries expressed their readiness to strengthen cooperation in the relevant field within the SCO framework at the 4th meeting of heads of ministries and departments of the SCO member states responsible for the development of information and communication technologies (ICT), which was held in Karamay city, northwest China’s Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region, on Tuesday.

    At the event, Deputy Minister of Industry and Information Technology of the People’s Republic of China Xiong Jijun called promoting sustainable development and accelerating modernization common goals of the SCO countries.

    According to him, China is ready to work with all parties to improve the quality and level of cooperation among the member states by improving institutional mechanisms, strengthening political dialogue, deepening practical cooperation in the field of digital technologies and ICT, promoting the transformation and modernization of industries, building a more just, accessible and inclusive digital world, thereby contributing to the formation of a community of shared destiny of the SCO.

    First Deputy Minister of Communications and Informatization of the Republic of Belarus Pavel Tkach stated that joint digital development allows for a significant deepening of integration, mutual trade and other sectors of the economy, and the exchange of experience in this area can be carried out within the framework of the SCO.

    He stressed that due to the rapid growth of data in Belarus, there is a need to create centers for their processing and storage, adding that Belarus is interested in China’s experience in this area and expects to participate in specific projects with it.

    Karamay City, the venue for the event, boasts of its dynamic digital economy in Xinjiang. According to local authorities, as of the end of 2024, the computing power of the cloud computing industrial park was 17,042 petaflops (1 petaflop equals 1 quadrillion floating-point operations per second), becoming the first such industrial park in the region with a computing power of more than 10,000 petaflops.

    Zhanat Dzhabasova from Kazakhstan, head of the center for international cooperation and project implementation at the M. Dulatov Kostanay Engineering and Economics University, emphasized the prospects of Karamay to become a future hub of digital technologies. She stated that due to its geographical location, the city is quite capable of combining the experience of Kazakhstan and China in this area and becoming a center for digital transformation and exchanges between the two countries.

    Zh. Dzhabasova also expressed hope for the development of cooperation with Chinese universities in the field of information technology and other areas, especially for conducting joint scientific research through the exchange of experience.

    The head of Tajikistan’s Communications Service, Isfandiyor Sadullo, said that Karamay, as a city whose main industry is the oil industry, is making active efforts to develop digital technologies. According to him, he sees broad prospects here in the field of big data exchange.

    I. Sadullo also said that Tajikistan expects cooperation with China in the field of digital and information and communication technologies, as well as in digital development and transformation.

    Let us recall that the meeting adopted an action plan aimed at deepening exchanges and cooperation between the SCO member states in the development of measures for digital transformation, creation of digital infrastructure, digital government, cloud computing, digitalization of small and medium-sized enterprises, development and application of digital technologies, exchange of specialists in the field of digital technologies, etc. -0-

    MIL OSI Russia News –

  • MIL-OSI Europe: In first official trip to Central Asia, OSCE High Commissioner on National Minorities Christophe Kamp visits Tajikistan and Kyrgyzstan

    Source: Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe – OSCE

    Headline: In first official trip to Central Asia, OSCE High Commissioner on National Minorities Christophe Kamp visits Tajikistan and Kyrgyzstan

    In first official trip to Central Asia, OSCE High Commissioner on National Minorities Christophe Kamp visits Tajikistan and Kyrgyzstan | OSCE

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    Home Newsroom News and press releases In first official trip to Central Asia, OSCE High Commissioner on National Minorities Christophe Kamp visits Tajikistan and Kyrgyzstan

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  • MIL-OSI Russia: The first freight train traveled along the trans-Caspian international transport route Jinhua-Turkmenbashi-Baku

    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

    HANGZHOU, June 18 (Xinhua) — A train loaded with 100 standard containers of daily necessities, clothing and accessories, metal fittings and other goods departed from Jinhua City in east China’s Zhejiang Province on Wednesday morning for Turkmenbashi Port in Turkmenistan, from where they will travel by sea to Baku, the capital of Azerbaijan. It is the first train to operate on the Jinhua-Turkmenbashi-Baku trans-Caspian international transport route.

    According to Wu Xiaoping, an employee of the Hangzhou Railway Logistics Center, the train departed from the Jinhua South Station, will leave China through the Khorgos checkpoint /Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Republic, Northwest China/, and pass through Almaty, Tashkent, Ashgabat and other important cities in Central Asia.

    Transportation of goods from Jinhua to Baku involves the use of a multimodal method: “railway – sea – rail”. Using the Turkmenbashi seaport to cross the Caspian Sea instead of the traditional route will reduce the time of transportation of goods by about one day.

    The successful opening of this route will provide enterprises with a more efficient, convenient and reliable logistics solution, and will promote the growth of trade turnover between China and the five Central Asian countries, as well as China and Central and Eastern European countries, Wu Xiaoping added. -0-

    MIL OSI Russia News –

  • MIL-OSI Russia: Xinjiang’s foreign trade volume grew by 22.9% in January-May 2025

    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

    URUMQI, June 18 (Xinhua) — The Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region’s foreign trade volume rose 22.9 percent year on year to 227.67 billion yuan in the first five months of this year, local customs said.

    In particular, Xinjiang’s foreign trade turnover in May reached 61.81 billion yuan, up 30.8 percent year-on-year.

    From January to May this year, Xinjiang’s trade turnover with Belt and Road countries increased by 13.8 percent, accounting for 84.8 percent of Xinjiang’s total foreign trade.

    Xinjiang’s largest trading partners were Kazakhstan and Kyrgyzstan. The share of trade in goods with the five Central Asian countries in Xinjiang’s foreign trade turnover was 49.5 percent.

    At the same time, Xinjiang also significantly increased its trade turnover with ASEAN and the EU. Compared with the same period last year, the figures increased by 91.6 and 55.7 percent, respectively.

    Xinjiang’s export volume of electromechanical products increased by 43.8 percent in January-May this year, accounting for 40.2 percent of Xinjiang’s export volume. -0-

    MIL OSI Russia News –

  • MIL-OSI Russia: Mutual tourism between China and Central Asian countries is steadily growing

    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

    GUANGZHOU, June 18 (Xinhua) — With the deepening of trade and economic cooperation between China and Central Asia, travel to the region has become one of the hottest topics on Chinese social media.

    On the popular Chinese social network Xiaohongshu /Rednote/, the number of views of discussions under posts about both Central Asia itself and travels there has exceeded 50 million and 20 million, respectively.

    A young Chinese blogger’s guide to Central Asia in Xiaohongshu has gained over 5,000 likes and favorites. Local folk customs, magnificent natural landscapes, and unique cultural charm of the Central Asian countries have attracted the attention of social media users.

    According to the Utour travel agency, in the first half of 2025, the tourist flow of Chinese citizens to Central Asia increased by 100 percent year-on-year. Data from Fliggy, an online travel platform owned by Alibaba, showed that since the beginning of 2025, the number of bookings of air tickets from China to Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan increased by 60 percent and 47 percent year-on-year, respectively. Popular destinations for the Chinese were Tashkent, Almaty, Shymkent, Bukhara, etc.

    China has introduced a mutual visa-free regime with Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan. Over the past year, the number of mutual trips of citizens of China and Kazakhstan exceeded 1.2 million.

    In March 2025, the new Guangzhou-Almaty air route was officially opened. The development of the tourism industry in these two places has accelerated.

    In early June, Zhang Qun, a resident of Guangzhou City, Guangdong Province, South China, visited Kazakhstan. Although she knew little about the Central Asian country before leaving, the experience left a deep impression on her.

    “The warriors wrestle, ride horses, shoot, and tame eagles, which allowed us to immerse ourselves in a unique culture,” she said.

    She also noted that Almaty and other cities in Kazakhstan are very clean and have a high level of greenery. “There are signs in Russian, English and Chinese at the Almaty airport, and there are no barriers to communication. Local residents are also very friendly to Chinese tourists,” she emphasized.

    As more Chinese tourists travel to Central Asia, more and more Central Asian citizens are also becoming more interested in China.

    On June 1, 2025, a plane with 160 passengers on board landed at Tianshan International Airport in Urumqi, Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region /Northwest China/. They became the first passengers from Uzbekistan to visit China since the Agreement between the PRC and the Republic of Uzbekistan on Mutual Exemption from Visa Requirements came into force.

    Under the agreement, citizens of both countries are exempt from visa requirements when entering, leaving or transiting through the territories of the two countries for a period of no more than 30 days for each individual stay and for a total period of no more than 90 days within any 180-day period.

    According to the Chinese travel platform Ctrip, since the beginning of 2025, the number of bookings of inbound tours among Central Asians has increased by 106 percent year-on-year. In particular, among citizens of Uzbekistan, this figure has increased by 164 percent year-on-year. The most popular destinations among tourists from Central Asia were Guangzhou, Hangzhou, Beijing, Urumqi, Xi’an, etc.

    In recent years, the passenger flow from five Central Asian countries at Guangzhou Baiyun Airport has been steadily increasing. Since the beginning of this year, as of June 17, the total incoming and outgoing passenger flow from five Central Asian countries recorded at the checkpoint at Baiyun Airport was about 28 thousand person-times, which is more than 460 percent more than in the same period last year. Among them, the most obvious was the increase in tourist flow from Uzbekistan and Kazakhstan.

    Guangzhou’s tourism industry is experiencing a rapid revival of tourism projects in Central Asia. Huang Jingru, deputy general manager of Guangzhilu Travel Agency, said that thanks to the opening of more direct flights and favorable visa policies, her agency’s tourism services sector in Central Asia has grown by more than 200 percent in the past two years.

    “It is expected that in the future, tourism products from China to Kazakhstan and other Central Asian countries will have great potential in the Guangzhou market,” she said. -0-

    MIL OSI Russia News –

  • MIL-OSI China: Xi returns to Beijing after attending 2nd China-Central Asia Summit

    Source: People’s Republic of China – State Council News

    BEIJING, June 18 — Chinese President Xi Jinping returned to Beijing on Wednesday after attending the second China-Central Asia Summit in Astana of Kazakhstan.

    Xi’s entourage, including Cai Qi, a member of the Standing Committee of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee and director of the General Office of the CPC Central Committee, and Wang Yi, a member of the Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee and foreign minister, returned by the same flight.

    MIL OSI China News –

  • MIL-OSI Banking: At Working Party meeting, Uzbekistan affirms focus on concluding WTO accession by MC14

    Source: WTO

    Headline: At Working Party meeting, Uzbekistan affirms focus on concluding WTO accession by MC14

    Led by Deputy Prime Minister Khodjaev, the high-level Uzbek delegation in Geneva included the Special Representative of the President on WTO issues and Chief Negotiator for WTO Accession, Azizbek Urunov, and other senior government officials. These included Deputy Minister of Economy and Finance, Akhadbek Khaydarov, Deputy Minister of Justice, Alisher Karimov, and Deputy Minister of Agriculture, Akmaljon Kasimov. High-level officials from a wide range of ministries and agencies joined virtually from Tashkent.
    In his opening remarks, Deputy Prime Minister Khodjaev noted that Uzbekistan “has taken tangible steps to advance accession” and undertaken key domestic market reforms. Such reforms have included the elimination of export-contingent subsidies and exclusive rights for state-owned enterprises in sectors such as gas, electricity and metals. Other reforms include the liberalization of price controls, acceleration of privatization and compliance with WTO intellectual property norms.
    “We are all aware that the global trading environment is becoming increasingly fragmented,” he said.” In this context, Uzbekistan’s commitment to the WTO and to building a modern, market-oriented economy rooted in rules-based trade has never been stronger. We firmly believe the WTO remains the only credible framework to ensure a transparent, stable and inclusive global trading system.”
    Recalling the ambitious target of concluding Uzbekistan’s WTO accession by MC14, Deputy Prime Minister Khodjaev presented a roadmap entitled “Road to Yaoundé MC14”, which outlines all necessary steps to finalize the accession process with a clear timeline. His full statement is available here.
    WTO Deputy Director-General Xiangchen Zhang congratulated Deputy Prime Minister Khodjaev, Chief Negotiator Urunov, and their interagency team for the hard work and determination in pushing the accession negotiations towards the finishing line. He also congratulated WTO members for their substantive engagement with Uzbekistan on both the bilateral and multilateral tracks. “It’s remarkable to see how the accession process has been transformed, has matured and is now advancing at a rapid pace,” DDG Zhang said.
    WTO members updated the Working Party on progress in their bilateral market access negotiations with Uzbekistan. Several expressed support for Uzbekistan’s ambitious accession goals, commended recent progress in its negotiations and the reforms undertaken to date and said they looked forward to further progress on its accession efforts.
    The Chairperson of the Working Party, Ambassador Yun Seong-deok of the Republic of Korea, also reported to members on three other events on 12 June 2025: an informal meeting on agricultural support, a seminar on Uzbekistan’s economic reforms to support accession organized by the government of Uzbekistan in collaboration with the World Bank and the International Monetary Fund (IMF), and an information session on technical barriers to trade and sanitary and phytosanitary measures. Members expressed appreciation for the sessions which had provided very useful information, fostering transparency.
    Next steps
    In his concluding remarks, Ambassador Yun said Uzbekistan “continues to make steady progress in the negotiations towards its finalization goal, both under the bilateral and multilateral tracks.” He also noted that most remaining bilateral negotiations are at an advanced stage and looked forward to their conclusion before the summer break. On the multilateral front, Uzbekistan has taken “decisive steps” in achieving WTO conformity in several areas where members have repeatedly raised concerns, the Chair said.
    Moving forward, members were requested to submit questions, comments and draft commitments by 11 July 2025. Uzbekistan was also asked to submit replies to members’ questions and a few updated supporting documents.
    The Chair noted that members and Uzbekistan were facing “an extremely tight timeline” to complete all outstanding work if the aim was to finalize the accession talks by MC14. He noted that by the next meeting, it would be “critical that most, if not all, elements of this Draft Accession Package begin to emerge”. 
    Director-General Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala praised Uzbekistan for its recent economic reforms at a high-level meeting during the IMF/World Bank spring meetings held on 24 April.
    Uzbekistan applied for WTO membership in 1994 and has actively been negotiating its membership terms since 2020.
    More information about the WTO accession process is available here.

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    MIL OSI Global Banks –

  • MIL-OSI NGOs: Statement by IAEA Director General Rafael Mariano Grossi on the Occasion of the International Conference on Nuclear Security 2024

    Source: International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) –

    When we met the last time, at ICONS 2020, many of us could not have imagined the momentous change we would experience between then and today, change that would affect billions of people, international peace and security, and nuclear security. A global pandemic was in the making and a war – in Ukraine – for first time soon would be fought among the facilities of one of Europe’s biggest nuclear power programmes.

    Meanwhile, profound technological advances have been made. Assessing their impact on nuclear security is a crucial task. Artificial Intelligence, and unmanned vehicles pose both a threat to nuclear security and offer new tools with which to enhance it. In the nuclear field itself, Small Modular Reactors promise new opportunities for applications such as desalination and power brought to remote communities via barge, but also require us to consider new security elements.

    The use of nuclear science and technology, often facilitated by the IAEA, has come on in leaps and bounds. Climate change and the drive for energy security are fuelling a desire for nuclear power. At this past Conference of the Parties to the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change, COP28, world leaders – those whose states use nuclear power and those whose do not – for the first time in nearly 30 years of COP meetings agreed nuclear power must be part of the transition to net zero. More than 20 countries have signed a pledge towards tripling nuclear power capacity and at the IAEA’s Nuclear Energy Summit in March heads of state agreed on the urgent need for conducive financial conditions. 

    Nuclear security is relevant throughout all the steps of the nuclear fuel cycle and is part of the social contract that underpins the existence and growth of nuclear power. Nuclear power programmes require national nuclear security threat assessments and “security by design”. Nurturing relevant research and a strong security culture are key, not only in countries with NPPs.

    The use of life-saving and life-affirming applications of nuclear science and technology is growing, from cancer patients gaining access to radiotherapy to farmers benefiting from new crop varieties developed with the help of irradiation. IAEA initiative such as Rays of Hope: Cancer care for all; Nutec Plastics; Zoonotic Disease Integrated Action (ZODIAC); and Atoms4Food are key vehicles facilitating wider access.

    All these opportunities to use nuclear and radioactive material depend on a strong and adaptive global nuclear security regime. For countries new to using nuclear and radioactive material, this means building up legal infrastructure, practices and culture that bolster nuclear security.  Nationally and across borders, collaboration and laser-focused vigilance are key to preventing groups with malicious intent from using nuclear and radioactive material to cause panic and harm.

    The threats to nuclear and other radioactive material and associated facilities are real and varied. The international nuclear security threat landscape keeps evolving. Today, anyone can type a few words into a computer and generative AI can create images of nuclear Armageddon, meaning it is now possible to spread panic about radiation fallout without a nuclear device. Risk scenarios include theft of nuclear and other radioactive material for use in improvised devices and sabotage at nuclear installations or during transport of nuclear and radioactive material. The risk of cyber-attacks requires the implementation of computer security programmes by those who use nuclear power and those who don’t. Risks come from outsiders and from those within the fold who are disgruntled or have been corrupted.

    Nuclear security is the national responsibility of individual states, but it also benefits enormously from close collaboration and the enabling role of the IAEA.  ICONS, which started in 2013, has been the place for ministers, policymakers, senior officials, and experts to gather to assesses current priorities, prepare for new challenges, and engage in scenario-based policy discussions. ICONS 2024, presided over by the co-presidents, HE Tim Watts, Assistant Minister for Foreign Affairs of Australia and HE Sungat Yessimkhanov, Vice-Minister of Energy of the Republic of Kazakhstan, covers the themes of policy, law and regulation; technology and infrastructure for prevention, detection and response; capacity building; and cross-cutting areas, such as the interface between nuclear security and nuclear safety. ICONS is the most important high-level international meeting on nuclear security. At this time of heightened tensions, it is imperative that there remains a unity of purpose and that nuclear security does not become a political football.

    This year marks the 10-year anniversary of the IAEA’s Division of Nuclear Security. The IAEA is at the forefront of adapting nuclear security to new challenges, including war. The seven indispensable pillars for ensuring nuclear safety and security have broad international support. They have brought crucial clarity at a time of war and are testament to the adaptiveness of the IAEA and the security regime.

    Those seven pillars are backed up by an enormous ongoing effort by the IAEA to support Ukraine, including through the continuous presence of IAEA experts at all of Ukraine’s nuclear power plants, including Zaporizhzhya NPP on the front lines of the war. When there were allegations of nuclear security breaches, the IAEA was there to investigate with impartiality and science. We set the facts straight that no nuclear material had been diverted, cutting through the fog of war, and diffusing a tense situation.   

    Not all our efforts require quite as much courage as our experts have shown in Ukraine, nor do they make international headlines. But every day, the IAEA – the Secretariat and the Member States – work together fastidiously to underpin nuclear security, never resting, always learning.

    Radioactive sources are extensively used in many domains, including medicine, industry, agriculture and research. An incident in one State can have far-reaching consequences for others, so security for one is security for all. That means supporting States with no, or less developed nuclear security infrastructure makes everyone safer. That support, which often comes via the IAEA, includes making lawmakers aware of their responsibilities.

    Nuclear Security requires the implementation of appropriate and robust legislative regulatory frameworks. In 2022, the first Conference of the Parties to the Amendment to the Convention on the Physical Protection of Nuclear Material (A/CPPNM) was held under the auspices of the IAEA. Reflecting the global importance of the legal framework and of nuclear security, parties managed to agree an outcome document and for the IAEA convene a subsequent conference. Since 2020, 14 new parties have joined the A/CPPNM bringing the total to 136. Five new Parties joined the CPPNM, bringing that total to 164. In addition to the A/CPPNM, political commitment to legally non-binding instruments, like the Code of Conduct on the Safety and Security of Radioactive Sources and its supplementary guidance, is a strong indication of radiation safety and nuclear security culture.

    But legal frameworks are just the beginning. They must be implemented. The IAEA plays a central role in assisting its Members States so they are able to do that. Last year we inaugurated the most visible symbol of our collaboration: the Nuclear Security Training and Demonstration Centre (NSTDC). This first-of-its-kind space, made possible by 15 donors, is a cornerstone for capacity building amid the growing need for sophisticated hands-on nuclear security training using advanced, specialized equipment. The NSTDC is part of a wide range of services offered by the IAEA, including peer reviews, such as the International Physical Protection Advisory Service (IPPAS), of which there have now been more than 100, and Advisory Missions on Regulatory Infrastructure for Radiation Safety and Nuclear Security (RISS), a service we launched in 2022. Our Incident and Trafficking Database (ITDB) now has 145 members and has enabled the reporting of more than 600 incidents in which nuclear or radioactive material went out of regulatory control.  Almost 8,000 people have benefited from our training in nuclear security, and we continue to work very hard to remove barriers that prevent talent from entering the field.  In March 2021, we launched the Women in Nuclear Security Initiative (WINSI) to support the achievement of gender equality in nuclear security. Meanwhile, the IAEA’s Marie Sklodowska Curie Fellowship Programme financially supports women pursuing a master’s degree in nuclear subjects and offers them internships, while our Lise Meitner offers women in the early and middle part of their career enriching opportunities within the field.   

    As the use of nuclear and other radioactive material around the world increases, more and more States are needing to increase their level of nuclear security. Nuclear security is as important as nuclear safety – we must put it on equal footing in terms of reliability of funding and the robustness of implementation.

    At ICONS 2024 we are – as the name of the conference indicates – “shaping the future”, not only of nuclear security, but of the world our children will inherit. That is because nuclear security is about more than preventing nuclear terrorism. It is an enabler to providing, through nuclear science and technology, the clean energy; cutting-edge medicine; nutritious food and hope for a better tomorrow.

    MIL OSI NGO –

  • MIL-OSI Russia: Chinese archaeological technologies are applied in Uzbekistan

    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

    BEIJING, June 18 (Xinhua) — Chinese archaeology is developing dynamically. Not long ago, advanced Chinese archaeological technologies were used during excavations at the Munchaktepa ancient settlement in Uzbekistan, and the results confirmed the spread of Chinese civilization in this area in ancient times.

    Uzbekistan was an important hub and trade transit point on the Great Silk Road. According to the Shanghai Observer multimedia platform, since 2012, archaeological research institutions of the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences (CAS) together with the National Center for Archaeological Research of the Academy of Sciences of Uzbekistan have been conducting systematic field excavations in the Fergana Valley of this country. It was confirmed that the ancient city of Munchaktepa was most likely the capital of the ancient state of Davan mentioned in historical chronicles. This discovery provided important material evidence of civilizational exchange on the Great Silk Road.

    In 2024, excavations at the Munchaktepa site reached a new milestone. Collective burials were discovered at the site. In early 2025, with the support of the AONK, members of the Joint Laboratory of Scientific and Technical Archaeology under the Belt and Road Initiative went to the Munchaktepa site to conduct excavations.

    Initially, the researchers, with the help of the Uzbek side, built a temporary mobile module, but it turned out that it did not fully meet the working conditions. In this situation, they actually dismantled and reassembled their laboratory from Beijing: they selected portable equipment and necessary materials and built a mobile laboratory on the excavation site.

    “The collaboration model we developed for meticulous excavation and rapid on-site protection of relics is an advanced technology that has undergone countless practical tests in China. This time, it has been fully applied to an archaeological site in Central Asia,” said Han Huarui, a junior researcher at AOC.

    “We used the technology of transporting objects in a protective box to completely encapsulate these fragile relics. This not only minimized damage to the objects during transportation, but also preserved the burial information for future research,” she said.

    When working with metal objects, the researchers carried out cleaning. After extraction, by removing corrosion, the original state of many artifacts such as earrings, pendants, etc. was restored.

    The most surprising discovery was the Wuzhu coin. After conservation treatment, the characters “Wu Zhu” became clearly visible on the coin. This is the most direct evidence of ancient trade and exchange between the East and the West.

    Cross-border archaeological research has become a successful practice of applying interdisciplinary approaches in Chinese archaeology, as well as a successful demonstration of Chinese archaeological concepts and technologies in the international arena. -0-

    MIL OSI Russia News –

  • MIL-OSI Russia: Xi Jinping returned to Beijing after attending the second China-Central Asia summit in Astana /detailed version-1/

    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

    BEIJING, June 18 (Xinhua) — Chinese President Xi Jinping returned to Beijing on Wednesday after attending the second China-Central Asia Summit in Astana, Kazakhstan.

    Xi Jinping’s entourage, including Cai Qi, member of the Standing Committee of the Politburo of the CPC Central Committee and director of the General Office of the CPC Central Committee, and Wang Yi, member of the Politburo of the CPC Central Committee and Foreign Minister, returned on the same flight. -0-

    MIL OSI Russia News –

  • MIL-OSI Russia: “Steel Camels” Bring More and More Delicacies from Central Asian Countries to China

    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

    CHENGDU, June 18 (Xinhua) — A pavilion of Kazakh goods located in Qingbaijiang District of Chengdu City, capital of southwest China’s Sichuan Province, displays various food products imported from the Central Asian country, including milk powder, chocolate, candy, flour, vegetable oil and biscuits.

    “If previously cargo transportation between China and Central Asia was carried out by traditional camel caravans, now these camels have become ‘steel’,” noted the head of the pavilion, Ren Jianhong, referring to the trains running along the international railway cargo transportation routes between China and the Central Asian states.

    In April 2025, the first scheduled freight train departed from Chengdu to Tashkent, the capital of Uzbekistan, on the Chengdu-Central Asia railway route, and in May, a regular public freight train was officially launched between the two points.

    Freight trains cross the border at the Khorgos checkpoint in Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region /Northwest China/ and arrive in Tashkent. The total length of the route is 4,853 km.

    “Chengdu is a hub city for international rail freight routes between China and Central Asia. Thanks to their emergence, the delivery time for goods has been reduced to 10 days, and logistics costs have been reduced by 5-10 percent,” Ren Jianhong explained.

    According to the Chengdu International Railway Port Economic Development Zone Administration, there are regular trains departing from Chengdu on China-Central Asia routes. These routes cover countries such as Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan.

    With the help of these “steel camels,” more and more Central Asian delicacies are becoming available to Chinese consumers, including chocolate oatmeal from Kazakhstan, flaxseed oil from Tajikistan, dried fruits from Turkmenistan, dairy products from Uzbekistan, and honey from Kyrgyzstan.

    In addition, in order to promote the development of agricultural and food trade, China has opened 8 “green channels” for fast customs clearance of agricultural and by-products from Central Asian countries.

    According to the General Administration of Customs of the People’s Republic of China, in the first five months of this year, China’s foreign trade with the five Central Asian countries increased by 10.4 percent year-on-year to 286.42 billion yuan (about 39.86 billion US dollars), reaching a new historical maximum. In particular, in January-May of this year, the volume of agricultural imports from the five Central Asian countries to China amounted to 4.36 billion yuan, which is 26.9 percent more than a year earlier. -0-

    MIL OSI Russia News –

  • MIL-OSI China: Xi returns to Beijing after attending 2nd China-Central Asia Summit 2025-06-18 17:47:11 Chinese President Xi Jinping returned to Beijing on Wednesday after attending the second China-Central Asia Summit in Astana of Kazakhstan.

    Source: People’s Republic of China – Ministry of National Defense

      BEIJING, June 18 (Xinhua) — Chinese President Xi Jinping returned to Beijing on Wednesday after attending the second China-Central Asia Summit in Astana of Kazakhstan.

      Xi’s entourage, including Cai Qi, a member of the Standing Committee of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee and director of the General Office of the CPC Central Committee, and Wang Yi, a member of the Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee and foreign minister, returned by the same flight.

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    MIL OSI China News –

  • MIL-OSI Russia: Central Asian countries are becoming important trading partners of China’s Sichuan province

    Translation. Region: Russian Federal

    Source: People’s Republic of China in Russian –

    Source: People’s Republic of China – State Council News

    CHENGDU, June 18 (Xinhua) — Trade volume between southwest China’s Sichuan Province and five Central Asian countries increased 57.3 percent year on year to 2.78 billion yuan (about 386.8 million U.S. dollars) in January-April 2025, data from Chengdu Customs showed.

    In recent years, Central Asian countries have become important partners for Sichuan Province, which is seeking to build a highly open economy. Data show that in the first four months, the province’s exports to countries in the region totaled 2.61 billion yuan, up 57.9 percent year-on-year, while imports rose 48.5 percent to 170 million yuan.

    Automobiles, semiconductors, batteries and other products account for a large share of the goods exported from Sichuan to Central Asia, while rapeseed oil, ferroalloys and food are mainly imported from Central Asia.

    Sichuan Province and the Central Asian countries have great complementarity and enormous potential for cooperation in the fields of industry, economy, trade, culture, tourism, science and education. In terms of trade with Sichuan Province, Uzbekistan ranks first among the five Central Asian countries, being an important investment destination for the province in the Central Asian region. Thanks to this province, chemical products, porcelain and barley from Uzbekistan enter the Chinese market.

    The cooperation models between Sichuan and Central Asian countries also continue to be updated. For example, a service center of Sichuan Port and Shipping Investment Group Co., Ltd., responsible for international sales, was commissioned in Tashkent, as well as a bonded automobile demonstration center, where over 100 types of products from more than 40 Sichuan enterprises are presented. In addition, China-Central Asia freight trains annually deliver about 5,000 tons of tea from Chengdu to Tashkent. -0-

    MIL OSI Russia News –

  • MIL-OSI Russia: Conclusion of the second China-Central Asia summit

    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

    The second Central Asia-China summit concluded in Astana on June 17, 2025. This event became an important milestone in strengthening friendship and strategic partnership between the countries of the region. The leaders of Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan and China discussed key issues of economic development, security and cultural exchange.

    A joint statement was adopted, which set out the main areas of further cooperation. The leaders expressed confidence that their combined efforts would guarantee prosperity and stability in the region.

    The second China-Central Asia Summit in Astana was a turning point, marked by summing up the results and setting ambitious plans for the future based on the aspiration for friendship and common prosperity. The importance of the “China-Central Asia spirit” based on mutual respect, trust, benefit and support was emphasized.

    Xi Jinping noted the historical roots of cooperation between China and Central Asia, based on the principles of equality and mutual benefit. He stressed the importance of strengthening mutual trust and upholding sovereignty and national interests. China reaffirmed its intention to develop cooperation within the framework of the Belt and Road Initiative, focusing on trade, investment, transport, environmentally responsible mining and agriculture.

    The leaders of the Central Asian countries highly appreciated China’s contribution to the development of the region and expressed their readiness to further deepen cooperation. They noted that the China-Central Asia format has become an important platform for dialogue and cooperation, promoting socio-economic development. The Astana summit reaffirmed the desire to build a strong and mutually beneficial partnership based on the principles of friendship, trust and mutual support.

    Central Asia plays a key role in the Belt and Road Initiative, serving as a strategic gateway to Europe.

    The Belt and Road Initiative took centre stage at the summit, with an emphasis on cooperation in energy and sustainable development.

    The meeting of leaders of China and Central Asian countries marked an important step in deepening regional cooperation and building a closer community with a shared future. The summit demonstrated the commitment to joint development, prosperity, and maintaining peace and stability in the region.

    Particular attention was paid to China’s constructive role in international and regional affairs. The heads of state of Central Asia expressed support for the concept of building a community of shared destiny for mankind, as well as the global initiatives proposed by Xi Jinping.

    The summit participants stressed their readiness to work with China to protect free trade and the multilateral trading system, as well as to uphold the principles of international equality and justice.

    The parties agreed to hold the third China-Central Asia summit in 2027 in China, which demonstrates a long-term commitment to developing partnership relations.

    The China-Central Asia Summit was an important step towards strengthening regional cooperation, joint development and building a common future. The signed agreements and new initiatives create a basis for further deepening partnerships and achieving common goals.

    China’s cooperation with Central Asian countries within the framework of the “One Belt, One Road” initiative is steadily increasing, trade turnover has increased by 35%, cooperation in the field of industry and investment, environmentally responsible subsoil use and scientific and technological innovations is gaining momentum. The parties are implementing a number of projects. Chinese electric vehicles and photovoltaic products are appearing in Central Asia, from where honey, fruits, wheat and poultry end up on the Chinese table.

    Trade between China and Central Asian countries reached a record high of 674.15 billion yuan in 2024, an increase of 116 percent compared with 2013. All parties have found a new model of win-win cooperation through the China-Kazakhstan oil pipeline project and the China-Central Asia gas pipeline project. The China-Tajikistan Highway, China-Kyrgyzstan-Uzbekistan Highway and China-Kyrgyzstan-Uzbekistan Railway have brought regional connectivity to a new level, and practical cooperation has expanded to the digital economy and green transition. Container trains are connecting more Chinese cities with Central Asian countries. The quality and capacity of the Trans-Caspian International Transport Corridor are improving. Green industry, digital economy, artificial intelligence, aerospace and aviation industries are becoming new growth points for cooperation. Cooperation in new areas such as cross-border e-commerce and online education brings benefits to the people of our six countries.

    Xi Jinping stressed that the cooperation between China and Central Asian countries has its roots in more than two thousand years of friendly relations, has been cemented by solidarity and mutual trust since the establishment of diplomatic relations, and has made great progress through mutually beneficial cooperation in the new era. Many years of experience and practice have helped to formulate and shape the “China-Central Asia spirit” characterized by mutual respect, mutual trust, mutual benefit, mutual assistance, and promoting joint modernization through high-quality development.

    Xi Jinping noted that no matter how the international situation changes, China has been and remains committed to the policy of external openness, is ready to jointly carry out higher-quality cooperation with its Central Asian partners, deepen the integration of interests for the sake of common development, and achieve greater success in developing cooperation between China and Central Asia.

    The leaders of the Central Asian countries unanimously noted the successes in China’s development under the leadership of Xi Jinping, expressed gratitude to China for its comprehensive cooperation with the Central Asian countries, which provides them with opportunities for national development. The China-Central Asia format has already established itself as a platform for promoting dialogue and cooperation between the parties, as well as the socio-economic development of the Central Asian countries. In a turbulent world, the China-Central Asia format is acquiring strategic importance. China’s prosperity brings benefits to neighboring states. China is a trusting strategic partner and friend for the Central Asian countries, which attach importance to the model of cooperation with China based on the principles of mutual respect, equality and mutual benefit, and expect to intensify cooperation with China in all areas, including expanding the scale of trade and investment.

    An important outcome of the summit was the signing of the Astana Declaration of the Second China-Central Asia Summit and the Treaty of Eternal Good-Neighborliness, Friendship and Cooperation. In addition, 12 cooperation agreements were concluded within the framework of the “One Belt, One Road” initiative, covering a wide range of areas, including personnel exchange, environmentally responsible subsoil use, trade, transport connectivity, industry and customs.

    Author: Tolon Turganbaev

    MIL OSI Russia News –

  • MIL-OSI Russia: Xi Jinping leaves Astana after attending the second China-Central Asia summit

    Translation. Region: Russian Federal

    Source: People’s Republic of China in Russian –

    Source: People’s Republic of China – State Council News

    ASTANA, June 18 (Xinhua) — Chinese President Xi Jinping on Wednesday headed back to Beijing after attending the second China-Central Asia Summit in Astana, the capital of Kazakhstan.

    Xi Jinping was seen off at the airport by Kazakh President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev and other senior officials.

    Kazakh Air Force fighter jets escorted Xi Jinping’s special flight after its takeoff.

    On the way to the airport, representatives of Chinese enterprises and Chinese students lined the streets waving the national flags of China and Kazakhstan to warmly congratulate Xi Jinping on his successful participation in the summit. –0–

    MIL OSI Russia News –

  • MIL-OSI China: Full text of Xi’s keynote speech at second China-Central Asia Summit 2025-06-18 15:11:20 Chinese President Xi Jinping delivered a keynote speech Tuesday at the second China-Central Asia Summit in Astana, Kazakhstan. The following is the full text of the speech:

    Source: People’s Republic of China – Ministry of National Defense

    ASTANA, June 18 (Xinhua) — Chinese President Xi Jinping delivered a keynote speech Tuesday at the second China-Central Asia Summit in Astana, Kazakhstan.

    The following is the full text of the speech:

    Championing the China-Central Asia Spirit For High-Quality Cooperation in the Region

    Keynote Speech by H.E. Xi Jinping

    President of the People’s Republic of China

    At the Second China-Central Asia Summit

    Astana, June 17, 2025

    Your Excellency President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev,

    Distinguished Colleagues,

    Friends,

    I am delighted to join you at the second China-Central Asia Summit in the beautiful city of Astana. I’d like to thank President Tokayev and the government of Kazakhstan for the gracious hospitality and thoughtful arrangement.

    During our meeting in Xi’an two years ago, we jointly outlined the Xi’an Vision for China-Central Asia cooperation. The six pomegranate trees we planted together are in full bloom today, auguring the vitality of the cooperation among the six nations.

    Two years on, China and Central Asian countries have further deepened and substantiated Belt and Road cooperation. Our trade has grown by 35 percent, and we have made important progress in industrial investment, green mining, technological innovation, and other fields of cooperation. The package of projects with Chinese financial support are well underway. While more and more Chinese new energy vehicles and photovoltaic products are entering Central Asian markets, Central Asian agricultural products, including honey, fruits, wheat and poultry, are diversifying the dinner tables of Chinese families.

    Two years on, the China-Kyrgyzstan-Uzbekistan railway project has been officially launched. We are making steady progress in planning for the third railway link between China and Kazakhstan, in phase-II restoration of the China-Tajikistan highway, and in China-Turkmenistan energy cooperation. Freight train services are connecting more and more Chinese cities to Central Asia. The Trans-Caspian International Transport Route has been upgraded and expanded. Green industries, digital economy, artificial intelligence, aviation and space are becoming new drivers of our cooperation. Cross-border e-commerce, online education, and other new business models are benefiting more and more people in China and Central Asia.

    Two years on, China and Central Asian countries have made progress in establishing cultural centers in each other as well as in opening branches of Chinese universities and Luban Workshops. China has made mutual visa-free arrangements with Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan, facilitating more than 1.2 million travels between China and Kazakhstan alone in 2024. Tourism and culture years and art festivals of Central Asian countries are very popular in China. Chinese films and TV dramas, such as Min-Ning Town and To the Wonder, have become great hits in Central Asia. The China-Central Asia train services for cultural tourism have been successfully inaugurated. And today, we will witness the number of sister cities between China and Central Asia reach the milestone of 100 pairs.

    Two years on, we have launched 13 ministerial cooperation platforms under the China-Central Asia mechanism. The Secretariat is fully functioning, and the core framework of the mechanism is largely in place.

    I am pleased to see that our consensus at the first Summit has been implemented across the board — from the millennium-old Xi’an to Astana “the pearl of the steppe,” from the coast of the Yellow Sea to the shores of the Caspian Sea, from the Tianshan Mountain Range to the Pamir Plateau. The path of our cooperation is steadily widening, and our friendship is blooming ever more brightly.

    Distinguished Colleagues,

    Friends,

    Our cooperation is rooted in more than 2,000 years of friendly exchanges, cemented by solidarity and mutual trust cultivated through more than three decades of diplomatic ties, and taken forward via openness and win-win cooperation of the new era. Building on our collective efforts over the years, we have forged a China-Central Asia Spirit of “mutual respect, mutual trust, mutual benefit, and mutual assistance for the joint pursuit of modernization through high-quality development.”

    — We practice mutual respect and treat each other as equals. All countries, big or small, are equal. We handle issues through consultation and make decisions by consensus.

    — We seek to deepen mutual trust and enhance mutual support. We firmly support each other in safeguarding independence, sovereignty, territorial integrity, and national dignity. We do not do anything harmful to the core interests of any party.

    — We pursue mutual benefit and win-win cooperation and strive for common development. We view each other as priority partners, and share development opportunities together. We accommodate each other’s interests, and work to build a win-win and symbiotic relationship.

    — We help each other in time of need and stand together through thick and thin. We support each other in choosing development paths suitable to our respective national conditions and in taking domestic matters into our own hands. We work together to address various risks and challenges, and uphold regional security and stability.

    This China-Central Asia Spirit is an important guideline for our endeavor to carry forward friendship and cooperation from generation to generation. We should always uphold it and let it shine forever.

    Distinguished Colleagues,

    Friends,

    Today, unprecedented changes are unfolding at a faster pace across the globe, thrusting the world into a new state of heightened turbulence and volatility. A strong belief in fairness and justice and an unyielding commitment to mutual benefit and win-win cooperation are the only way to maintain world peace and achieve common development. There is no winner in tariff wars or trade wars. Unilateralism, protectionism and hegemonism will surely backfire while hurting others.

    I always maintain that history should move forward, not backward; and the world should be united, not divided. Humanity must not regress to the law of the jungle. Instead, we should build a community with a shared future for mankind.

    Three years ago, we announced together that we would build a China-Central Asia community with a shared future, setting out the goal and direction of our six nations in building consensus, overcoming challenges and pursuing development. We should act on the China-Central Asia Spirit, enhance cooperation with renewed vigor and more practical measures, promote high-quality development of the Belt and Road Initiative, and forge ahead toward our goal of a community with a shared future for the region.

    First, we should stay committed to our fundamental goal of unity, and always trust and support each other. China consistently takes Central Asia as a priority in its neighborhood diplomacy. With a firm belief in an amicable, secure and prosperous neighborhood as well as a strong dedication to amity, sincerity, mutual benefit and inclusiveness, China interacts with Central Asian countries on the basis of equality and sincerity. We always wish our neighbors well.

    Today, we will sign together a treaty on eternal good-neighborliness, friendship and cooperation to enshrine the principle of everlasting friendship in the form of law. This is a new landmark in the history of the relations between our six countries and a pioneering initiative in China’s diplomatic engagement with its neighbors. It is a milestone for today and a foundation for tomorrow.

    Second, we should optimize our cooperation framework to make it more results-oriented, more efficient, and more deeply integrated. We have agreed to designate 2025 and 2026 as the Years of High-Quality Development of China-Central Asia Cooperation. We should focus our cooperation on smooth trade, industrial investment, connectivity, green mining, agricultural modernization and personnel exchanges, and roll out more projects on the ground. We should do our best to get early harvests as soon as possible.

    China is ready to share with Central Asian countries development experience and latest technological advances, promote connectivity in digital infrastructure, enhance cooperation on artificial intelligence, and foster new quality productive forces.

    In order to promote relevant cooperation, China has decided to establish three cooperation centers, i.e. on poverty reduction, on education exchange, and on desertification prevention and control, as well as a cooperation platform on smooth trade under the China-Central Asia cooperation framework. China will provide a grant of RMB 1.5 billion yuan to Central Asian countries this year to be used in livelihood and development projects high on their agenda. China will also provide 3,000 training opportunities to Central Asian countries in the next two years.

    Third, we should develop a security framework for peace, tranquility and solidarity. We should step up regional security governance, deepen law enforcement and security cooperation, jointly prevent and thwart extreme ideologies, and resolutely fight terrorism, separatism and extremism, so as to maintain peace and stability in our region.

    China supports Central Asian countries in modernizing their national defense, law enforcement and security capacities. We will do our best to help Central Asian countries combat terrorism and transnational organized crime and safeguard cybersecurity and biosecurity. We will launch more Safe City projects, and conduct more joint exercises and joint training cooperation.

    Afghanistan is our close neighbor. We should strengthen coordination to help the country boost its development capacity and achieve peace, stability, reconstruction and development at an early date.

    Fourth, we should cement the bonds of shared vision, mutual understanding and mutual affection between our peoples. China will enhance cooperation between legislatures, political parties, women, youth, media and think tanks with Central Asian countries, conduct in-depth exchange of governance experience, and share experience in green development, poverty reduction and anti-corruption.

    China is ready to set up more cultural centers, university branches and Luban Workshops in Central Asia, and launch new majors in Central Asian languages in Chinese universities. We will continue to carry out effectively the “China-Central Asia technology and skills improvement scheme” to train more high-caliber talent for Central Asian countries.

    China supports deepening subnational cooperation with Central Asia. We will make good use of sister-city relations and people-to-people exchanges to nurture heart-to-heart connections at central and subnational levels, between official and non-governmental actors, and from adjacent to broader areas.

    I hope that the travel-facilitation measures we adopt today will be implemented as soon as possible to help our people visit each other more conveniently, efficiently and frequently like relatives, and in the course help them become ever closer to each other.

    Fifth, we should uphold a fair and equitable international order and an equal and orderly world structure. China supports Central Asian countries in playing a bigger role in international affairs. We stand ready to work with all parties to defend international fairness and justice, oppose hegemonism and power politics, and promote an equal and orderly multipolar world and a universally beneficial and inclusive economic globalization.

    This year marks the 80th anniversary of the victory of the Chinese People’s War of Resistance Against Japanese Aggression and the World Anti-Fascist War, and the 80th anniversary of the founding of the United Nations. In the strenuous times of war, Chinese and Central Asian peoples supported each other through adversity, and jointly made important contributions to the cause of justice of humanity. We should promote the correct view of history, defend the fruits of the victory of World War II, uphold the UN-centered international system, and provide more stability and certainty for world peace and development.

    Distinguished Colleagues,

    Friends,

    China is building a great modern socialist country in all respects and advancing the great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation on all fronts through Chinese modernization. No matter how the international situation changes, China will remain unwavering in opening up to the outside world, and embrace higher-quality cooperation with Central Asian countries to deepen the integration of interests and achieve common development.

    Distinguished Colleagues,

    Friends,

    Ancient Chinese philosophy advocates “mutual care and mutual benefit.” Similarly, a Central Asian proverb compares harmony and unity to happiness and wealth. China is ready to work with all parties to carry forward the China-Central Asia Spirit, pursue the goal of a community with a shared future, and strive for new progress in China-Central Asia cooperation.

    Thank you.

    MIL OSI China News –

  • MIL-OSI China: Xi urges China, Central Asian countries to promote high-quality Belt and Road cooperation 2025-06-18 15:08:08 Chinese President Xi Jinping on Tuesday called on China and Central Asian countries to promote high-quality Belt and Road cooperation and forge ahead toward the goal of building a China-Central Asia community with a shared future under the guidance of the China-Central Asia Spirit.

    Source: People’s Republic of China – Ministry of National Defense

    Chinese President Xi Jinping delivers a keynote speech during the second China-Central Asia Summit in Astana, Kazakhstan, June 17, 2025. The second China-Central Asia Summit was held in Astana on Tuesday. Kazakh President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev chaired the summit. Xi, Kyrgyz President Sadyr Japarov, Tajik President Emomali Rahmon, Turkmen President Serdar Berdimuhamedov and Uzbek President Shavkat Mirziyoyev attended the summit. (Xinhua/Huang Jingwen)

    ASTANA, June 17 (Xinhua) — Chinese President Xi Jinping on Tuesday called on China and Central Asian countries to promote high-quality Belt and Road cooperation and forge ahead toward the goal of building a China-Central Asia community with a shared future under the guidance of the China-Central Asia Spirit.

    Xi made the remarks in his keynote speech at the second China-Central Asia Summit hosted by Kazakh President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev. Kyrgyz President Sadyr Japarov, Tajik President Emomali Rahmon, Turkmen President Serdar Berdimuhamedov and Uzbek President Shavkat Mirziyoyev also attended the summit.

    Xi pointed out that during their meeting in Xi’an two years ago, they jointly outlined the Xi’an Vision for China-Central Asia cooperation. Two years on, China and Central Asian countries have further deepened and substantiated Belt and Road cooperation, he said, recalling advanced cooperation in various fields.

    The core framework of the China-Central Asia mechanism is largely in place, and the consensus at the first Summit has been implemented across the board, Xi said, adding that the path of cooperation among the countries is steadily widening, and their friendship is blooming ever more brightly.

    Xi stressed that the cooperation between China and Central Asian countries is rooted in more than 2,000 years of friendly exchanges, cemented by solidarity and mutual trust cultivated through more than three decades of diplomatic ties, and taken forward via openness and win-win cooperation of the new era.

    Xi said building on their collective efforts over the years, the six countries have forged a China-Central Asia Spirit of “mutual respect, mutual trust, mutual benefit and mutual assistance for the joint pursuit of modernization through high-quality development.”

    The spirit connotes four aspects of practices. First, Xi said that China and Central Asian countries practice mutual respect and treat each other as equals, and all countries, big or small, are equal, adding that the six countries handle issues through consultation and make decisions by consensus.

    Second, he said that China and Central Asian countries seek to deepen mutual trust and enhance mutual support, firmly support each other in safeguarding independence, sovereignty, territorial integrity and national dignity, and do not do anything harmful to the core interests of any party.

    Third, Xi said China and Central Asian countries pursue mutual benefit and win-win cooperation and strive for common development, view each other as priority partners, and share development opportunities together, adding that they accommodate each other’s interests, and work to build a win-win and symbiotic relationship.

    Fourth, he said China and Central Asian countries help each other in time of need and stand together through thick and thin, supporting each other in choosing development paths suitable to respective national conditions and in taking domestic matters into their own hands, adding that the countries work together to address various risks and challenges, and uphold regional security and stability.

    This China-Central Asia Spirit is an important guideline for their endeavor to carry forward friendship and cooperation from generation to generation, and the six countries should always uphold it and let it shine forever, Xi noted.

    Today, unprecedented changes are unfolding at a faster pace across the globe, thrusting the world into a new state of heightened turbulence and volatility, Xi pointed out, noting that a strong belief in fairness and justice, and an unyielding commitment to mutual benefit and win-win cooperation are the only way to maintain world peace and achieve common development.

    There is no winner in tariff wars or trade wars, and unilateralism, protectionism and hegemonism will surely backfire while hurting others, he noted.

    Maintaining that history should move forward, not backward, and the world should be united, not divided, Xi said humanity must not regress to the law of the jungle, but should instead build a community with a shared future for mankind.

    Xi called on the six countries to act on the China-Central Asia Spirit, and enhance cooperation with renewed vigor and more practical measures.

    To achieve this, he made five points.

    First, China and Central Asian countries should stay committed to the fundamental goal of unity, and always trust and support each other, he said.

    China consistently takes Central Asia as a priority in its neighborhood diplomacy, Xi noted, adding that with a firm belief in an amicable, secure and prosperous neighborhood as well as a strong dedication to amity, sincerity, mutual benefit and inclusiveness, China interacts with Central Asian countries on the basis of equality and sincerity, and the six countries always wish their neighbors well.

    The six countries will sign together a treaty on eternal good-neighborliness, friendship and cooperation to enshrine the principle of everlasting friendship in the form of law, he said, deeming it as a new landmark in the history of the relations of the six countries and a pioneering initiative in China’s diplomatic engagement with its neighbors, which constitutes a milestone for today and a foundation for tomorrow.

    Second, China and Central Asian countries should optimize the cooperation framework to make it more results-oriented, more efficient and more deeply integrated, Xi said.

    Recalling that the six countries have agreed to designate 2025 and 2026 as the Years of High-Quality Development of China-Central Asia Cooperation, he said that all sides should focus the cooperation on smooth trade, industrial investment, connectivity, green mining, agricultural modernization and personnel exchanges, roll out more projects on the ground and foster new quality productive forces.

    He said China has decided to establish three cooperation centers, i.e. on poverty reduction, on education exchange, and on desertification prevention and control, as well as a cooperation platform on smooth trade under the China-Central Asia cooperation framework.

    China supports Central Asian countries in developing livelihood and development projects, Xi said, adding that China will provide 3,000 training opportunities to Central Asian countries in the next two years.

    Third, China and Central Asian countries should develop a security framework for peace, tranquility and solidarity, step up regional security governance, deepen law enforcement and security cooperation, jointly prevent and thwart extreme ideologies, and resolutely fight terrorism, separatism and extremism, so as to maintain peace and stability in the region, Xi said.

    China will do its best to help Central Asian countries combat terrorism and transnational organized crime and safeguard cybersecurity and biosecurity, he said.

    Fourth, China and Central Asian countries should cement the bonds of shared vision, mutual understanding and mutual affection between peoples, he noted, saying that China will enhance cooperation between legislatures, political parties, women, youth, media and think tanks with Central Asian countries, conduct in-depth exchange of governance experience, and is ready to set up more cultural centers, university branches and Luban Workshops in Central Asia to train more high-caliber talent for Central Asian countries.

    China supports deepening subnational cooperation with Central Asia, Xi said, adding that China and Central Asian countries should nurture heart-to-heart connections at central and subnational levels, between official and non-governmental actors, and from adjacent to broader areas.

    Fifth, China and Central Asian countries should uphold a fair and equitable international order and an equal and orderly world structure, stand ready to work with all parties to defend international fairness and justice, oppose hegemonism and power politics, and promote an equal and orderly multipolar world and a universally beneficial and inclusive economic globalization, Xi said.

    This year marks the 80th anniversary of the victory of the Chinese People’s War of Resistance Against Japanese Aggression and the World Anti-Fascist War, and the 80th anniversary of the founding of the United Nations, he said, recalling that in the strenuous times of war, Chinese and Central Asian peoples supported each other through adversity, and jointly made important contributions to the cause of justice of humanity.

    He also noted the need to promote the correct view of history, defend the fruits of the victory of World War II, uphold the UN-centered international system, and provide more stability and certainty for world peace and development.

    Xi pointed out that China is building a great modern socialist country in all respects and advancing the great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation on all fronts through Chinese modernization.

    No matter how the international situation changes, China will remain unwavering in opening up to the outside world, he said, noting that China is ready to embrace higher-quality cooperation and deepen the integration of interests with Central Asian countries, so as to achieve common development and strive for new progress in China-Central Asia cooperation.

    Tokayev and the other four Central Asian leaders unanimously stated that the China-Central Asia mechanism has become an important platform for promoting dialogue and cooperation, as well as for advancing the economic and social development of Central Asian countries.

    In a world full of uncertainties, the strategic significance of the mechanism has become increasingly prominent, and China’s growing prosperity and strength are benefiting its neighboring countries, they said, noting that China is a strategic partner and a true friend that Central Asian countries can always count on.

    The Central Asian countries highly value the model of cooperation with China based on mutual respect, equality and mutual benefit, and look forward to deepening all-round cooperation with China and expanding trade and investment, the five leaders added.

    They also expressed the hope to jointly pursue high-quality Belt and Road cooperation, promote cooperation in such fields as industry, agriculture, science and technology, infrastructure, new energy and connectivity, strengthen regional security collaboration, and enhance people-to-people and cultural exchanges in fields like culture, education and tourism.

    The leaders of the five Central Asian countries expressed their intention to build the China-Central Asia mechanism into a model of regional cooperation, share development and prosperity, jointly promote peace and stability, and build a closer community with a shared future.

    The five parties highly appreciate China’s constructive role in international and regional affairs, and actively support the concept of building a community with a shared future for mankind, as well as the three major global initiatives proposed by President Xi.

    They also expressed the willingness to closely coordinate and cooperate with China to firmly safeguard free trade and the multilateral trading system, and jointly defend international equity and justice.

    During the summit, Xi and the heads of state of the Central Asian nations signed the Astana Declaration of the second China-Central Asia Summit, and a treaty on eternal good-neighborliness, friendship and cooperation.

    The meeting also announced the signing of 12 cooperation agreements regarding the Belt and Road cooperation, facilitation of personnel exchanges, green mining, trade, connectivity, industry and customs.

    At the summit, China signed multiple sister city agreements with the five Central Asian countries, thus the pairs of sister cities between the two sides have exceeded 100.

    Xi and other leaders also witnessed the inauguration of three China-Central Asia cooperation centers and a trade platform, namely the China-Central Asia poverty reduction cooperation center, the China-Central Asia education exchange cooperation center, the China-Central Asia desertification prevention and control cooperation center, as well as the China-Central Asia smooth trade cooperation platform.

    All parties also agreed that China will host the third China-Central Asia Summit in 2027.

    Chinese President Xi Jinping, Kazakh President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev, Kyrgyz President Sadyr Japarov, Tajik President Emomali Rahmon, Turkmen President Serdar Berdimuhamedov and Uzbek President Shavkat Mirziyoyev pose for a group photo in Astana, Kazakhstan, June 17, 2025. The second China-Central Asia Summit was held in Astana on Tuesday. Tokayev chaired the summit. Xi, Japarov, Rahmon, Berdimuhamedov and Mirziyoyev attended the summit. (Xinhua/Xie Huanchi)

    Chinese President Xi Jinping walks into the venue of the second China-Central Asia Summit in Astana, Kazakhstan, June 17, 2025. The second China-Central Asia Summit was held in Astana on Tuesday. Kazakh President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev chaired the summit. Xi, Kyrgyz President Sadyr Japarov, Tajik President Emomali Rahmon, Turkmen President Serdar Berdimuhamedov and Uzbek President Shavkat Mirziyoyev attended the summit. (Xinhua/Ding Lin)

    Chinese President Xi Jinping shakes hands with Kazakh President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev in Astana, Kazakhstan, June 17, 2025. The second China-Central Asia Summit was held in Astana on Tuesday. Tokayev chaired the summit. Xi, Kyrgyz President Sadyr Japarov, Tajik President Emomali Rahmon, Turkmen President Serdar Berdimuhamedov and Uzbek President Shavkat Mirziyoyev attended the summit. (Xinhua/Xie Huanchi)

    Chinese President Xi Jinping delivers a keynote speech during the second China-Central Asia Summit in Astana, Kazakhstan, June 17, 2025. The second China-Central Asia Summit was held in Astana on Tuesday. Kazakh President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev chaired the summit. Xi, Kyrgyz President Sadyr Japarov, Tajik President Emomali Rahmon, Turkmen President Serdar Berdimuhamedov and Uzbek President Shavkat Mirziyoyev attended the summit. (Xinhua/Yin Bogu)

    Chinese President Xi Jinping, Kazakh President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev, Kyrgyz President Sadyr Japarov, Tajik President Emomali Rahmon, Turkmen President Serdar Berdimuhamedov and Uzbek President Shavkat Mirziyoyev witness inauguration of the China-Central Asia poverty reduction cooperation center, the China-Central Asia education exchange cooperation center, the China-Central Asia desertification control cooperation center and the China-Central Asia trade facilitation cooperation platform in Astana, Kazakhstan, June 17, 2025. The second China-Central Asia Summit was held in Astana on Tuesday. Tokayev chaired the summit. Xi, Japarov, Rahmon, Berdimuhamedov and Mirziyoyev attended the summit. (Xinhua/Yin Bogu)

    MIL OSI China News –

  • MIL-OSI China: Xi leaves Astana after attending 2nd China-Central Asia Summit 2025-06-18 15:13:46 Chinese President Xi Jinping left Wednesday for Beijing after attending the second China-Central Asia Summit in Astana.

    Source: People’s Republic of China – Ministry of National Defense

      ASTANA, June 18 (Xinhua) — Chinese President Xi Jinping left Wednesday for Beijing after attending the second China-Central Asia Summit in Astana.

      Upon Xi’s departure, Kazakh President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev and other senior officials saw him off at the airport.

      Kazakh Air Force fighter jets escorted Xi’s plane after it took off.

      On the way to the airport, representatives of Chinese enterprises and Chinese overseas students lined the streets, waving the national flags of China and Kazakhstan to warmly congratulate Xi on his successful attendance at the summit. 

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    MIL OSI China News –

  • MIL-OSI China: Xi leaves Astana after attending 2nd China-Central Asia Summit

    Source: People’s Republic of China – State Council News

    ASTANA, June 18 — Chinese President Xi Jinping left Wednesday for Beijing after attending the second China-Central Asia Summit in Astana.

    Upon Xi’s departure, Kazakh President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev and other senior officials saw him off at the airport.

    Kazakh Air Force fighter jets escorted Xi’s plane after it took off.

    On the way to the airport, representatives of Chinese enterprises and Chinese overseas students lined the streets, waving the national flags of China and Kazakhstan to warmly congratulate Xi on his successful attendance at the summit.

    MIL OSI China News –

  • MIL-OSI Russia: Astana Declaration of the Second Central Asia-China Summit

    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 18 (Xinhua) — The second China-Central Asia Summit was held in Astana, the capital of Kazakhstan, on June 17, 2025. Below is the full text of the Astana Declaration of the Second Central Asia-China Summit.

    Astana Declaration of the Second Central Asia-China Summit

    On June 17, 2025, the second Central Asia-China summit was held in Astana with the participation of the President of the Republic of Kazakhstan K.K. Tokayev, the Chairman of the People’s Republic of China Xi Jinping, the President of the Kyrgyz Republic S.N. Japarov, the President of the Republic of Tajikistan E.Rahmon, the President of Turkmenistan S.G. Berdimuhamedov and the President of the Republic of Uzbekistan Sh.M. Mirziyoyev.

    The heads of state of the Central Asia-China format, recognizing the strategic importance of the region and recognizing the importance of further deepening multilateral cooperation based on equality, mutual respect and mutual benefit, declare their commitment to further strengthening friendly relations, deepening political trust and expanding economic cooperation between the countries of Central Asia and China.

    In a friendly atmosphere, the parties summed up the results of comprehensive cooperation between the Central Asian states and China, summarized the experience of multifaceted mutually beneficial cooperation, outlined guidelines for further cooperation and stated the following.

    1. The Parties highly appreciate the results of the first Summit of Heads of State of the Central Asia-China format (May 19, 2023, Xi’an), the meeting of foreign ministers of the Central Asia-China format (December 1, 2024, Chengdu and April 26, 2025, Almaty), and also actively support the development of priority areas of cooperation at the level of heads of relevant ministries, departments and various forms of interaction.

    The Parties agree that the development of fruitful multifaceted cooperation between the Central Asian states and China meets the fundamental interests of all countries and their peoples. Against the backdrop of changes unprecedented in a century, the Parties, based on favorable prospects for the peoples of the region, confirm their desire to jointly create a closer community of common destiny for Central Asia and China.

    Based on a comprehensive review of the experience of cooperation between Central Asia and China, the Parties noted the formation of 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. It is important to fully develop this spirit, which is intended to serve as a basis for the development of friendship and mutually beneficial cooperation between the states of the Format.

    2. The Parties reaffirm their support for the protection of each other’s fundamental interests in the spirit of mutual understanding and respect.

    China firmly supports the development path of the Central Asian states, their efforts to safeguard their national independence, sovereignty and territorial integrity, as well as their independent foreign and domestic policies. The Central Asian states reaffirm their commitment to the one-China principle and recognize that there is only one China in the world, Taiwan is an inalienable part of Chinese territory, and the PRC government is the sole legitimate government representing the whole of China. The Central Asian states oppose “Taiwan independence” in any form and firmly support the Chinese government’s efforts to reunify the country.

    The parties reaffirmed their determination to strengthen centuries-old good-neighborliness, lasting friendship and reliable partnership, and noted the high relevance of signing a multilateral Treaty on Eternal Good-Neighborliness, Friendship and Cooperation, which will contribute to the long-term, healthy and sustainable development of relations between China and the Central Asian states.

    The Parties reaffirm their commitment to the purposes and principles of the UN Charter, including respect for the state independence, equality, sovereignty and territorial integrity of states.

    The Parties express their firm determination to uphold multilateralism, the generally recognized principles and norms of international law and international relations, promote an equal and orderly multipolar world and accessible and inclusive economic globalization, and jointly defend international justice and equality.

    The parties will make efforts to further develop fruitful, multifaceted interaction within the framework of strengthening cooperation in various areas of the “Central Asia – China” format.

    3. The heads of state of the participating countries of the Secretariat of the Central Asia-China format note the important role of the Secretariat of the Central Asia-China format in implementing the initiatives and tasks set by the heads of state, and also expressed their readiness to fully support the work of the Secretariat and provide it with favorable conditions and guarantees for development.

    The Heads of State of the participating States of the Secretariat of the Central Asia-China format, on the basis of consensus, welcome the assumption of office of Secretary-General Sun Weidong from 1 May 2025.

    4. The Parties confirm their commitment to strengthening the central role of the UN in ensuring international peace, security and sustainable development, disseminating universal human values – peace, development, justice, equality, democracy and freedom, and oppose attempts to politicize human rights issues. In this regard, they agreed to co-author the UN General Assembly resolution “On world unity for a just peace, harmony and development.”

    The parties confirm their commitment to strengthening political dialogue and cooperation within the UN and other international organizations, exchanging views and coordinating positions on current regional and international issues.

    The Parties welcome the proclamation of 2025 as the “International Year of Peace and Trust” in accordance with UN General Assembly Resolution No. 78/266 of 21 March 2024 and the holding of the “International Forum for Peace and Trust” in 2025 in Ashgabat.

    The parties welcomed the UN General Assembly Resolution declaring Central Asia a “Zone of Peace, Trust and Cooperation,” adopted at the initiative of Turkmenistan.

    The parties also welcome the adoption by the UN General Assembly of the Resolution “Permanent Neutrality of Turkmenistan”, dedicated to the 30th anniversary of the status of permanent neutrality of Turkmenistan.

    The Parties note the importance of developing a Global Security Strategy based on UN principles and generally recognized principles and norms of international law, taking into account current realities and trends in global inequality.

    The Parties reaffirm their strong commitment to the principles and objectives of international humanitarian law and highly appreciate the efforts of Kazakhstan and China as co-initiators of the Global Initiative to Strengthen Political Commitment to International Humanitarian Law. The Parties take note of the Global Initiative aimed at strengthening the principles of humanity and creating conditions conducive to achieving peace and breaking the endless cycle of violence in armed conflicts.

    The parties participating in the SCO support China’s chairmanship of the SCO in 2024-2025 and are ready to provide all possible assistance in the successful holding of the SCO Summit in Tianjin.

    5. The parties highly value the “One Belt, One Road” initiative and will continue to increase work to align this initiative with their national development strategies for the Central Asian states.

    6. The Parties shall make efforts to strengthen the multilateral trading system based on WTO rules, support the adaptation of international trade rules to the changing world, and promote the liberalization and simplification of trade and investment procedures.

    The Parties reaffirm the importance of intensifying the WTO discussion on development issues and emphasize the need to support open, inclusive, sustainable, resilient, diversified and secure global supply chains.

    WTO member states also support the aspirations of Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan to join the WTO.

    The interested parties intend to develop cooperation in six priority areas, including unimpeded trade, industry, investment, infrastructure connectivity, green subsoil use and agricultural modernization, and simplification of mutual travel for citizens.

    The parties note the significant potential for trade and economic cooperation between the countries of the Format, express their readiness to use the role of the meeting of ministers of economy and trade “Central Asia – China”, promote high-quality development of trade, promote diversification of trade structure and simplification of trade procedures, update agreements on the promotion and mutual protection of investments between the countries of Central Asia and China, reveal the potential of the working group on unimpeded trade, the Roundtable on Digital Trade and the mechanism “Dialogue on Cooperation in the Field of Electronic Commerce”, as well as intensify interaction in new industries.

    The parties intend to strengthen investment and industrial cooperation in the field of “green” minerals, alternative energy sources and infrastructure projects, as well as in ensuring the stable and uninterrupted operation of the production chain in the region. The parties expressed interest in strengthening exchanges and cooperation in housing and communal construction, increasing the interconnectivity of digital and green infrastructure, and jointly developing cooperation in the field of infrastructure and engineering construction.

    The parties will continue their efforts to increase the contribution of the Central Asian states and China to ensuring international energy and food security, to develop international transport and logistics routes, and to prevent disruptions in the supply of key products.

    The parties intend to expand the possibilities of transport corridors and cargo containerization in every possible way to simplify transportation as much as possible, strengthen cooperation in the framework of container train movement along the China-Europe route through Central Asia, develop transit and logistics potential, and promote joint projects that serve the interests of the states in the region.

    The parties welcome the start of the implementation of the China-Kyrgyzstan-Uzbekistan railway project, which is of great importance for the Central Asian region and China.

    The Parties are interested in the active use of the Turkmenbashi International Sea Port and the Aktau International Sea Trade Port by large transport and logistics companies of the Parties when transporting goods.

    The parties, with the active participation of multimodal operators and based on geographical location, are developing a logistics mechanism for the railway, automobile and maritime industries in order to develop regular container transportation to expand the export of goods from Central Asian countries and further to world markets.

    The parties welcomed the holding of the Third UN Conference on Landlocked Developing Countries (LLDC 3) in Turkmenistan in 2025.

    The Parties support raising the level of favourable conditions for international road transport by digitalising permits for international road transport and jointly increasing the exchange of experience and cooperation in the field of sustainable transport.

    The parties noted the importance of the established Central Asia-China Business Council and expressed their readiness to support trade promotion agencies, chambers of commerce and interested organizations in strengthening cooperation in the areas of trade and investment in order to make a greater contribution to the development of trade and economic cooperation between the Central Asian states and China.

    The parties noted the important role of the Central Asia-China Industrial and Investment Cooperation Forum in promoting investment cooperation between the Central Asian states and China, expanding industrial cooperation, and ensuring the stability and efficiency of production and supply chains.

    The parties highly appreciate the mechanism of the meeting of heads of customs services within the framework of the “Central Asia-China” format, are ready to expand the exchange of experience and mutual cooperation in the implementation of the “Smart Customs, Smart Borders and Smart Communications” project, effectively promote practical cooperation in the field of interconnection of relevant services within the framework of the work of checkpoints, “single window”, risk management, simplification of customs procedures, mutual assistance in customs matters.

    7. The Parties believe that building and expanding scientific and technological partnerships and continuously deepening scientific and technological cooperation based on complementary advantages and mutual benefits are of great importance.

    The parties are ready to further intensify the dialogue on scientific and technological development, regularly exchange information on national strategies, priority areas and programs for scientific and technological development, share development experience, and support the holding of the China (XUAR)-Central Asia Cooperation Forum on Scientific and Technological Innovation.

    The parties will actively support exchanges between research institutes and employees, the establishment of a network of partner institutes for the implementation of joint and exemplary projects on the application of technologies, and the creation of platforms for interaction on this basis.

    The Parties support efforts to transfer technology and implement scientific and technological achievements in order to promote economic and social development through scientific and technological innovation.

    The parties shall strengthen cooperation in the field of science and technology, including the exchange of best practices.

    China welcomes the participation of the Parties in the Group of Friends of International Cooperation on AI Capacity Building. The Parties are willing to jointly promote the implementation of the UN General Assembly Resolution on Strengthening International Cooperation on AI Capacity Building.

    The parties noted the importance of the draft UN General Assembly Resolution “The Role of Artificial Intelligence in Creating New Opportunities for Socioeconomic Development and Acceleration of the Achievement of the SDGs in Central Asia,” initiated by Tajikistan.

    8. The Parties express their readiness to utilize the potential of cooperation in the field of agriculture, including promoting investment in agriculture, industry interaction and cooperation in the field of trade in agricultural products. The Chinese side welcomes the active promotion of agricultural products of Central Asian countries, including through such important exhibitions as the China International Import Expo in Shanghai.

    The parties will intensify efforts in the development of “smart” agriculture, exchange of experience in the implementation of water-saving, green and other highly efficient technologies, as well as best practices in this area.

    The parties agreed to intensify the exchange of technologies and specialists in the field of melioration of arid, saline and alkaline soils, water-saving irrigation, pest control, livestock farming and veterinary medicine, and to strengthen the stress resistance of the agricultural sector with the aim of its sustainable development.

    The Parties reaffirm the need for concerted efforts to ensure food security in the context of a changing climate, and also note the importance of farming in the most environmentally friendly ways that support biodiversity and make efficient use of land resources.

    The parties welcomed the UN General Assembly Resolution “Central Asia Facing Environmental Challenges: Strengthening Regional Solidarity for Sustainable Development and Prosperity”, adopted at the initiative of the Republic of Uzbekistan, which confirms that climate change is one of the most complex problems of our time and creates serious difficulties on the path to sustainable development of all countries.

    The parties also welcomed the UN General Assembly Resolutions “Promoting sustainable forest management, including afforestation and reforestation, on degraded lands, including in drylands, as an effective solution to environmental problems” and “The United Nations Decade of Afforestation and Reforestation in accordance with the Principles of Sustainable Forest Management (2027-2036)”, adopted at the initiative of the Republic of Uzbekistan.

    The parties note the importance of consolidating efforts to improve policies in the area of poverty reduction, increasing employment and incomes of the population and creating jobs. The parties expressed their readiness to intensify cooperation in this area by implementing effective social support programs for the population, exchanging specialists and modern methodologies.

    9. The parties support the establishment of a Central Asia-China partnership on energy development, strengthening cooperation along the entire industrial chain, further expanding cooperation in traditional energy sources, including oil, natural gas and coal, strengthening cooperation in hydropower, solar, wind, hydrogen and other environmentally friendly energy sources, deepening cooperation in the peaceful use of nuclear energy, implementing projects using green technologies and clean energy sources, and implementing the concept of innovative, coordinated, green, open and common development.

    The Parties highlight cooperation in the energy sector as an important component of sustainable development of the region. The Parties express their readiness to continue deepening energy cooperation for the purpose of joint high-quality development of the energy industry of all countries in the spirit of mutually beneficial cooperation and taking into account the interests of the Parties.

    10. The interested parties support further expansion of cooperation between China and the Central Asian states along the entire industrial chain of development and use of mineral resources. The Parties will explore the possibility, within the framework of the current legislation of the Parties, of conducting joint work on geological research, exploration of mineral resources and the development of green subsoil use.

    11. The Parties confirm their readiness to hold joint events in such areas as culture, cultural heritage and tourism. The Parties also intend to expand youth exchange mechanisms, develop cooperation in conducting joint archaeological expeditions, research into the history and heritage of the Great Silk Road, preserving and restoring cultural heritage, museum exchanges, and searching for and returning missing and stolen cultural valuables.

    The parties highly appreciated the successful holding of the International High-Level Conference on Glacier Conservation, as well as the documents adopted following the results of this conference (Dushanbe, May 29-31, 2025).

    The parties also welcomed the decision of the UNESCO General Conference to hold its 43rd session in Samarkand in 2025. This event will be an important step in advancing UNESCO’s global agenda and promoting international dialogue in the field of cultural, educational and scientific cooperation.

    The Parties will support the holding of youth festivals, forums and sports competitions, including the organization of the World Nomad Games in 2026, initiated by the Kyrgyz Republic, as a unique event that promotes traditional sports and cultural diversity.

    Interested parties will continue their efforts to mutually establish cultural centers.

    The parties support the joint practice of declaring cultural and tourist capitals in the “Central Asia-China” format.

    The parties highly appreciate the successful holding of the first meeting of education ministers in the “Central Asia – China” format.

    The parties support cooperation between higher education institutions and businesses, the integration of production and education, and the acceleration of the implementation of international cooperation projects in vocational training, including within the framework of the Lu Ban Workshop.

    The Parties support joint scientific research by higher education institutions in such areas as energy, agriculture, medicine and healthcare, and artificial intelligence. The Parties support the establishment of Confucius Institutes and the teaching of the Chinese language in Central Asian countries.

    The parties highly appreciate the establishment by China of the Central Asia-China Poverty Alleviation Cooperation Center, the Central Asia-China Education Exchange and Cooperation Center, the Central Asia-China Desertification Cooperation Center, and the Central Asia-China Unimpeded Trade Cooperation Platform.

    The parties noted the initiative of the Republic of Kazakhstan to create a Global Coalition on Primary Health Care, the purpose of which is to support the fundamental reorientation of health systems towards primary health care throughout the world.

    12. The Parties reaffirmed their commitment to the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change and the Paris Agreement, which are the main platform and legal basis for the international community to make joint efforts to combat climate change, and emphasized the need to comply with the goals, principles and institutional framework enshrined in the Framework Convention and the Paris Agreement, in particular the principle of common but differentiated responsibilities, and to promote the full and effective implementation of the provisions of the Framework Convention and the Paris Agreement with an emphasis on the formation of a fair, rational, cooperative and generally beneficial global climate governance system.

    The parties expressed their readiness to hold dialogues within the framework of the “Central Asia – China” format to study the issue of developing and implementing measures to preserve biological diversity and adapt to climate change.

    The parties noted the importance of implementing the Resolution adopted at the 77th session of the UN General Assembly “Sustainable Mountain Development”, which declared 2023-2027 the “Five Years of Action for Mountain Development”, in order to strengthen international cooperation on the mountain agenda and its further effective implementation.

    The parties welcomed the initiatives of the Kyrgyz side aimed at promoting the issues of the mountain agenda and climate change, as well as the holding of the “High-Level Dialogue: Advancing the Mountain Agenda and Mainstreaming the Theme of Mountains and Climate Change” on the sidelines of COP-29 on November 13, 2024 in Baku, and expressed their readiness to explore the possibility of joining the “Declaration on Climate Change, Mountains and Glaciers” initiated by the Kyrgyz side, presented during the said Dialogue.

    The parties took into account the proposal of the Tajik side to create transboundary specially protected natural areas, transboundary corridors and buffer zones for the conservation of individual species of fauna, the restoration and maintenance of populations of rare endangered and migratory species of animals, as well as the exchange of relevant experience and technologies.

    The parties welcomed the accession of Uzbekistan and Kazakhstan to the Mountain Partnership Negotiating Group, representing the interests of mountain countries on the basis of the UNFCCC.

    The Parties welcome the successful holding of the International Conference “Global Mountain Dialogue for Sustainable Development” in Bishkek on 24-25 April 2025, and also support the holding of the World Mountain Youth Festival (August 2025) and the Second Global Mountain Summit “Bishkek 25” (2027) in the Kyrgyz Republic.

    The parties welcome the initiative to open a regional climate technology center for Central Asia under the auspices of the UN in Ashgabat as a platform for the transfer of technologies for adaptation to climate change and mitigation of its consequences.

    The parties noted the significance of the results of the First Climate Forum, held in Samarkand on April 4-5, 2025, as an important step towards deepening regional dialogue and coordinating approaches to the climate agenda.

    The Parties welcome the successful holding of the Central Asian Climate Change Conference 2025 in Ashgabat in May 2025 on the theme “Achieving the global goal on climate finance through regional and national actions in Central Asia”.

    The parties support the holding of the Regional Climate Summit in Kazakhstan in 2026 under the auspices of the UN, which will give new impetus to climate action in Central Asia and consolidate the climate efforts of the countries of the region.

    In this regard, the Parties call for exploring ways of cooperation within the framework of the Project Office for Central Asia on Climate Change and Green Energy, whose work is aimed at accelerating the climate transition in Central Asia through support for policies, innovation and partnership.

    13. The Parties believe that stability, development and prosperity in Central Asia meet the common interests of the peoples not only of the six countries, but of the entire world community.

    While strongly condemning terrorism, separatism and extremism in all their forms and manifestations, the Parties expressed their readiness to work together to combat the “three forces of evil”, in particular the cross-border movement of terrorist groups, illegal drug trafficking, transnational organized crime and cybercrime, to ensure the stable and successful progress of cooperation projects and to jointly counteract security threats.

    The parties consider the platform for dialogue on security within the framework of the Dushanbe process on combating terrorism, as well as the initiative put forward by Tajikistan “Decade of Strengthening Peace for Future Generations”, to be important.

    The parties will take joint measures to strengthen cooperation in the field of environmental protection, prevention of large-scale disasters and crises, joint response to the epidemiological situation, as well as in other relevant areas of security.

    The parties confirmed the importance of UN General Assembly Resolution 72/283 of 22 June 2018 on strengthening regional and international cooperation to ensure peace, stability and sustainable development in Central Asia, adopted at the initiative of Uzbekistan.

    The parties welcomed the UN General Assembly Resolution “Readiness of Central Asian countries to act as a united front and cooperate to effectively address and eliminate drug-related problems,” adopted at the initiative of Uzbekistan.

    The parties noted the need to strengthen cybersecurity in the region against the backdrop of the rapid development of information technology and artificial intelligence. The parties intend to use the infrastructure of IT parks in Central Asian countries to implement innovations, launch startups, conduct joint projects and exchange experiences.

    The parties expressed their readiness to regularly exchange information, as well as to apply best practices and advanced experience aimed at ensuring the stable functioning of the information infrastructure in the region.

    The parties are ready, together with the international community, to continue to provide assistance to the people of Afghanistan in maintaining peace and stability, restoring social infrastructure, and integrating into the regional and global economic system.

    The Parties support and advocate the development of Afghanistan as a peaceful, stable, prosperous country free from terrorism and drugs.

    The Parties reaffirm their commitment to actively participate in the Doha process under the auspices of the UN and welcome the efforts in this area undertaken by UNAMA and the UN Office on Drugs and Crime.

    The parties welcomed the inclusion of the regional humanitarian logistics centre in Termez, Republic of Uzbekistan, into the UNHCR global network of warehouses for emergency humanitarian response, which will strengthen the ability of the international community to quickly deliver essential supplies to internally displaced persons around the world.

    The Parties highly appreciate the efforts of Kazakhstan to institutionalize the initiative to establish in Almaty the UN Regional Centre for Sustainable Development Goals for Central Asia and Afghanistan with the aim of accelerating the achievement of the SDGs in the region and addressing development challenges in Afghanistan, and also welcome the efforts of the Government of Tajikistan to provide its logistical capabilities for the delivery of international humanitarian aid to the people of Afghanistan.

    The Parties welcomed Turkmenistan’s efforts to create appropriate conditions for the transportation of goods to/from Afghanistan, as well as humanitarian aid through its territory. In this regard, the Parties highly appreciated the commissioning of the Serhetabat-Turgundi and Kerki-Imamnazar railway links, as well as the start of work on the construction of a warehouse complex in the dry port of the Turgundi railway station.

    The Parties note the need for joint efforts in combating the illegal trafficking of drugs and their precursors, the problem of the spread of new psychoactive substances, including through the use of new technologies and means for these purposes, and consideration of the possibility of developing a Joint Anti-Drug Action Plan with the participation of the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime.

    14. The Parties are ready to actively cooperate within the framework of the Global Development Initiative, the Global Security Initiative, the Global Civilization Initiative, and, through joint efforts, accelerate the implementation of the UN Agenda for Sustainable Development, ensure peace and security in the region and throughout the world, and promote the exchange and mutual enrichment of civilizations.

    The Parties express their readiness to jointly hold relevant events based on the Resolution of the International Day of Dialogue among Civilizations adopted by the UN General Assembly, and to jointly promote the exchange and mutual enrichment of civilizations.

    The Parties support the development of a peaceful, open, secure, cooperative and orderly cyberspace within the framework of the Global Data Security Initiative, emphasize the importance of jointly promoting the Central Asia-China Digital Data Security Cooperation Initiative, deepening practical cooperation in the field of ensuring international information security, jointly combating cybercrime and cyberterrorism, emphasize the key role of the UN in countering threats in the information space, in particular relevant rules in the field of data security, support the development within the UN of universal rules of responsible behavior of states in the information space, call on the international community to sign as soon as possible the UN Comprehensive Convention on Countering the Use of Information and Communication Technologies for Criminal Purposes, approved by UN General Assembly Resolution 79/243 of December 24, 2024.

    The Parties emphasize the significant role of the Treaty on a Nuclear-Weapon-Free Zone in Central Asia in strengthening the global nuclear non-proliferation regime. In this regard, the Parties note the need for further development of cooperation between countries within the framework of the Treaty, as well as the establishment of interaction with other regional nuclear-weapon-free zones in the world.

    The parties note the importance of expanding cooperation in the field of biological safety.

    The parties noted Kazakhstan’s efforts to establish the UNESCAP Digital Solutions Centre for Sustainable Development in the Asia-Pacific region.

    15. The Parties declare that, starting from the Second Central Asia-China Summit, they will hold thematic years every two years, with 2025-2026 being declared the “Years of High-Quality Development of Central Asia-China Cooperation”.

    16. The parties express their gratitude to the Kazakh side for the high level of organization of the second Central Asia-China summit.

    The parties decided to hold the third Central Asia-China summit in 2027 in China.

    President of the Republic of Kazakhstan K. Tokayev

    Chairman of the People’s Republic of China Xi Jinping

    President of the Kyrgyz Republic S. Japarov

    President of the Republic of Tajikistan E.Rahmon

    President of Turkmenistan S. Berdimuhamedov

    President of the Republic of Uzbekistan Sh. Mirziyoyev

    Astana, June 17, 2025

    MIL OSI Russia News –

  • MIL-OSI Russia: Treaty on Eternal Good-Neighborliness, Friendship and Cooperation between the Republic of Kazakhstan, the Kyrgyz Republic, the Republic of Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, the Republic of Uzbekistan and the People’s Republic of China

    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 18 (Xinhua) — The second China-Central Asia Summit was held in Astana, the capital of Kazakhstan, on June 17, 2025. Below is the full text of the Treaty on Eternal Good-Neighborliness, Friendship and Cooperation among the Republic of Kazakhstan, the Kyrgyz Republic, the Republic of Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, the Republic of Uzbekistan and the People’s Republic of China.

    TREATY on eternal good-neighborliness, friendship and cooperation between the Republic of Kazakhstan, the Kyrgyz Republic, the Republic of Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, the Republic of Uzbekistan and the People’s Republic of China

    The Republic of Kazakhstan, the Kyrgyz Republic, the Republic of Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, the Republic of Uzbekistan and the People’s Republic of China, hereinafter referred to as the Parties,

    considering that the comprehensive strengthening of good-neighborliness, friendship and mutually beneficial cooperation meets the fundamental interests of the peoples of the Parties,

    Noting that ensuring peace, stability and development in the region and strengthening comprehensive cooperation meets the common aspirations and fundamental interests of the peoples of all countries and is of great importance for Asia and the entire world,

    Reaffirming their commitment to the purposes of the Charter of the United Nations and other generally recognized principles and norms of international law,

    based on the provisions of the legislation of each Party,

    reaffirming strong support for the independence, state sovereignty, territorial integrity and principles of sovereign equality and inviolability of borders of the Parties,

    striving to ensure sustainable development of relations between the Parties and an increase in the level of cooperation between States in various areas,

    wishing to strengthen and pass on from generation to generation the friendship of the peoples of their states,

    reaffirming their commitment to jointly creating a closer community of shared destiny for Central Asia and China,

    agreed on the following:

    Article 1

    The Parties, in accordance with the generally recognized principles and norms of international law, shall comprehensively develop long-term and strong strategic partnership relations based on the principles of mutual respect for sovereignty and territorial integrity, mutual non-aggression, non-interference in internal affairs, equality, mutual benefit and peaceful coexistence.

    The Parties also confirm the mutual non-use of force or threat of force, and the peaceful settlement of disputes.

    Article 2

    The parties comprehensively strengthen mutual trust and strategic interaction, support each other in choosing development paths and models that correspond to their national realities, support each other’s positions on key issues affecting their fundamental interests, and support the economic development strategies being implemented.

    Article 3

    The Parties, respecting the principles of state sovereignty and territorial integrity, shall take measures to prevent any activity on their territory that is contrary to these principles.

    The Parties do not participate in alliances or blocs directed against other Parties, and do not support any actions hostile to other Parties.

    Article 4

    The parties attach great importance to holding political consultations and use the mechanism of meetings at all levels, including visits at the highest and high levels, to regularly exchange and coordinate positions on relations between the Central Asian countries and China, global and regional issues of mutual interest.

    Article 5

    The parties are ready to develop cooperation on the principles of equality and mutual benefit in such areas as trade, economics, investment, infrastructure connectivity, engineering, energy, including hydropower, renewable energy sources, transport, minerals, agriculture, environmental protection, processing industry, science and technology, and in other areas of mutual interest.

    Article 6

    The Parties shall take the necessary measures to develop exchanges and cooperation in the fields of culture, education, healthcare and medical services, tourism, sports, mass media, as well as in other areas of mutual interest.

    Article 7

    The Parties, in accordance with their legislation and international obligations, develop cooperation in bilateral and multilateral formats in the joint fight against terrorism, separatism, extremism and transnational organized crime, illegal migration, illegal trafficking of weapons and narcotic drugs, psychotropic substances and their precursors.

    Article 8

    The Parties, in accordance with their legislation and international obligations, shall strengthen mutual trust in the areas of defense, defense industry and security, and shall expand bilateral and multilateral cooperation on other issues in these areas.

    Article 9

    The Parties shall strengthen contacts and interaction within the framework of the United Nations and other multilateral organizations and mechanisms of which they are members, and shall make efforts to ensure global and regional peace, stability and sustainable development.

    Article 10

    Any disputes and disagreements that may arise during the interpretation and implementation of this Agreement shall be resolved by the Parties through friendly negotiations and consultations.

    Article 11

    This Treaty does not affect the rights and obligations of the Parties arising from other bilateral and multilateral international treaties to which they are parties, and is not directed against any third state.

    Article 12

    In order to implement the provisions of this Agreement, the Parties shall, if necessary, conclude separate international agreements in specific areas of cooperation of mutual interest.

    Article 13

    By agreement of the Parties, amendments and additions may be made to this Agreement, which shall be formalized in separate protocols that shall be an integral part thereof.

    Article 14

    The depositary of this Treaty shall be the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the People’s Republic of China.

    The Depository shall send a certified copy of this Agreement to all signatory Parties within 15 (fifteen) days from the date of its signing.

    Article 15

    This Agreement is concluded for an indefinite period and shall enter into force on the date of receipt by the depositary through diplomatic channels of the last written notification of the completion by the Parties of the internal state procedures necessary for the entry into force of this Agreement.

    The Depository shall notify the Parties of the date of entry into force of this Agreement.

    Each Party shall have the right to withdraw from this Agreement by notifying the Depository in writing through diplomatic channels.

    In relation to such Party, this Agreement shall terminate upon expiration of 12 (twelve) months from the date of receipt of such notice by the depository. The depository shall notify the other Parties of such decision.

    The Depository shall inform the other Parties of the termination of this Agreement with respect to such Party.

    Done in the city of Astana on June 17, 2025, in one copy in the Russian and Chinese languages, both texts being equally authentic.

    For the Republic of Kazakhstan K. Tokayev

    For the People’s Republic of China Xi Jinping

    For the Kyrgyz Republic S. Japarov

    For the Republic of Tajikistan E.Rahmon

    For Turkmenistan S. Berdimuhamedov

    For the Republic of Uzbekistan Sh. Mirziyoyev

    MIL OSI Russia News –

  • MIL-OSI Russia: Trade and economic cooperation between XUAR and Central Asian countries continues to deepen

    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

    URUMQI, June 18 (Xinhua) — Trade and economic ties between northwest China’s Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region (XUAR) and Central Asian countries (CA) continue to deepen, with the volume of trade steadily growing, local customs officials said.

    According to the agency, in the first five months of this year, the volume of foreign trade between Xinjiang and the five Central Asian countries exceeded 100 billion yuan, which accounted for 39.4 percent of the total volume of foreign trade between China and the five Central Asian countries.

    In particular, in January-May 2025, the volume of agricultural exports from XUAR to five Central Asian countries amounted to 4.47 billion yuan, which is 100.1 percent more than a year earlier. The increased agricultural export items included such items as dried and fresh fruits, nuts, grains, vegetables, edible mushrooms, alcoholic and non-alcoholic beverages.

    In recent years, checkpoints in XUAR have continuously deepened trade and economic contacts with Central Asian countries. For example, the Karasu checkpoint, located in the Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region /Northwest China/, is the only land checkpoint on the border between China and Tajikistan. In recent years, it has become an important window for exchanges and cooperation between the two countries.

    The data show that there was a significant increase in the number of people and vehicles entering and leaving China through the Karasu Port in January-May 2025. In particular, the number of commercial vehicles exported through the Karasu Port during the reporting period jumped 102.4 percent to 9,096 units.

    Urumqi Customs representative Cheng Tao noted that in the future, the customs will continue to improve the efficiency of customs clearance, fully utilize the advantages to promote stable growth of trade turnover between XUAR and Central Asian countries. -0-

    MIL OSI Russia News –

  • MIL-OSI China: President Xi on China-Central Asia cooperation

    Source: People’s Republic of China – State Council News

    Editor’s note: Chinese President Xi Jinping on Tuesday delivered a keynote speech at the second China-Central Asia Summit in Astana, Kazakhstan, calling on China and Central Asian countries to promote high-quality Belt and Road cooperation and forge ahead toward the goal of building a China-Central Asia community with a shared future under the guidance of the China-Central Asia Spirit. Highlighted here are key messages from President Xi’s remarks at the summit, along with insights from his bilateral meetings with Central Asian leaders on the sidelines of the event.

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    MIL OSI China News –

  • MIL-OSI Russia: Exclusive: Intensification of Uzbek-Chinese relations is a requirement of the times – Uzbekistan expert

    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

    Tashkent, June 18 /Xinhua/ — Intensification of relations between Uzbekistan and China is a requirement of the times, said Bakhodir Ismailov, head of the sector of the Institute of Legislation and Legal Policy under the President of the Republic of Uzbekistan, in an interview with Xinhua.

    He noted that for over 30 years, Uzbekistan and China have been continuously strengthening political mutual trust and developing bilateral relations based on the principles of equality, friendship, good neighborliness, mutual support, mutual benefit, respect and consideration of each other’s interests. Cooperation is developing especially actively today, when the countries are demonstrating confident growth rates, the expert added.

    According to B. Ismailov, Chinese diplomacy invariably stands on the side of international justice, resolutely opposes hegemony, actively promotes the formation of a fair and orderly multipolar world, as well as inclusive economic globalization.

    Chinese-Uzbek friendship has been growing stronger over the years, and the prospects for cooperation between the two countries are expanding, the agency’s interlocutor emphasized. Uzbekistan is actively participating in the Belt and Road initiative launched by China in 2013, he noted.

    With the election of Shavkat Mirziyoyev as President of Uzbekistan in 2016, Uzbek-Chinese cooperation entered a trajectory of more dynamic development, B. Ismailov said. This is facilitated by both regular political dialogue at the highest level and the established friendly and trusting relations between the leaders of the two countries, the expert added.

    Active dialogue maintained at the intergovernmental, interparliamentary and interdepartmental levels also plays a key role in deepening multifaceted cooperation, the scientist said.

    The Central Asia-China format at the level of heads of state has become a new platform for interaction, B. Ismailov emphasized, adding that following the first summit of the leaders of the Central Asian countries and China, held in May 2023, the Xi’an Declaration was signed, which established the institutional basis for deepening cooperation in the new format.

    He noted that China and Uzbekistan have consistently supported each other on issues affecting core interests, jointly uphold genuine multilateralism, promote common values, and make active contributions to maintaining stability in the world and the region. –0–

    MIL OSI Russia News –

  • MIL-OSI China: Full text of Xi’s keynote speech at second China-Central Asia Summit

    Source: People’s Republic of China – State Council News

    ASTANA, June 18 — Chinese President Xi Jinping delivered a keynote speech Tuesday at the second China-Central Asia Summit in Astana, Kazakhstan.

    The following is the full text of the speech:

    Championing the China-Central Asia Spirit For High-Quality Cooperation in the Region

    Keynote Speech by H.E. Xi Jinping

    President of the People’s Republic of China

    At the Second China-Central Asia Summit

    Astana, June 17, 2025

    Your Excellency President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev,

    Distinguished Colleagues,

    Friends,

    I am delighted to join you at the second China-Central Asia Summit in the beautiful city of Astana. I’d like to thank President Tokayev and the government of Kazakhstan for the gracious hospitality and thoughtful arrangement.

    During our meeting in Xi’an two years ago, we jointly outlined the Xi’an Vision for China-Central Asia cooperation. The six pomegranate trees we planted together are in full bloom today, auguring the vitality of the cooperation among the six nations.

    Two years on, China and Central Asian countries have further deepened and substantiated Belt and Road cooperation. Our trade has grown by 35 percent, and we have made important progress in industrial investment, green mining, technological innovation, and other fields of cooperation. The package of projects with Chinese financial support are well underway. While more and more Chinese new energy vehicles and photovoltaic products are entering Central Asian markets, Central Asian agricultural products, including honey, fruits, wheat and poultry, are diversifying the dinner tables of Chinese families.

    Two years on, the China-Kyrgyzstan-Uzbekistan railway project has been officially launched. We are making steady progress in planning for the third railway link between China and Kazakhstan, in phase-II restoration of the China-Tajikistan highway, and in China-Turkmenistan energy cooperation. Freight train services are connecting more and more Chinese cities to Central Asia. The Trans-Caspian International Transport Route has been upgraded and expanded. Green industries, digital economy, artificial intelligence, aviation and space are becoming new drivers of our cooperation. Cross-border e-commerce, online education, and other new business models are benefiting more and more people in China and Central Asia.

    Two years on, China and Central Asian countries have made progress in establishing cultural centers in each other as well as in opening branches of Chinese universities and Luban Workshops. China has made mutual visa-free arrangements with Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan, facilitating more than 1.2 million travels between China and Kazakhstan alone in 2024. Tourism and culture years and art festivals of Central Asian countries are very popular in China. Chinese films and TV dramas, such as Min-Ning Town and To the Wonder, have become great hits in Central Asia. The China-Central Asia train services for cultural tourism have been successfully inaugurated. And today, we will witness the number of sister cities between China and Central Asia reach the milestone of 100 pairs.

    Two years on, we have launched 13 ministerial cooperation platforms under the China-Central Asia mechanism. The Secretariat is fully functioning, and the core framework of the mechanism is largely in place.

    I am pleased to see that our consensus at the first Summit has been implemented across the board — from the millennium-old Xi’an to Astana “the pearl of the steppe,” from the coast of the Yellow Sea to the shores of the Caspian Sea, from the Tianshan Mountain Range to the Pamir Plateau. The path of our cooperation is steadily widening, and our friendship is blooming ever more brightly.

    Distinguished Colleagues,

    Friends,

    Our cooperation is rooted in more than 2,000 years of friendly exchanges, cemented by solidarity and mutual trust cultivated through more than three decades of diplomatic ties, and taken forward via openness and win-win cooperation of the new era. Building on our collective efforts over the years, we have forged a China-Central Asia Spirit of “mutual respect, mutual trust, mutual benefit, and mutual assistance for the joint pursuit of modernization through high-quality development.”

    — We practice mutual respect and treat each other as equals. All countries, big or small, are equal. We handle issues through consultation and make decisions by consensus.

    — We seek to deepen mutual trust and enhance mutual support. We firmly support each other in safeguarding independence, sovereignty, territorial integrity, and national dignity. We do not do anything harmful to the core interests of any party.

    — We pursue mutual benefit and win-win cooperation and strive for common development. We view each other as priority partners, and share development opportunities together. We accommodate each other’s interests, and work to build a win-win and symbiotic relationship.

    — We help each other in time of need and stand together through thick and thin. We support each other in choosing development paths suitable to our respective national conditions and in taking domestic matters into our own hands. We work together to address various risks and challenges, and uphold regional security and stability.

    This China-Central Asia Spirit is an important guideline for our endeavor to carry forward friendship and cooperation from generation to generation. We should always uphold it and let it shine forever.

    Distinguished Colleagues,

    Friends,

    Today, unprecedented changes are unfolding at a faster pace across the globe, thrusting the world into a new state of heightened turbulence and volatility. A strong belief in fairness and justice and an unyielding commitment to mutual benefit and win-win cooperation are the only way to maintain world peace and achieve common development. There is no winner in tariff wars or trade wars. Unilateralism, protectionism and hegemonism will surely backfire while hurting others.

    I always maintain that history should move forward, not backward; and the world should be united, not divided. Humanity must not regress to the law of the jungle. Instead, we should build a community with a shared future for mankind.

    Three years ago, we announced together that we would build a China-Central Asia community with a shared future, setting out the goal and direction of our six nations in building consensus, overcoming challenges and pursuing development. We should act on the China-Central Asia Spirit, enhance cooperation with renewed vigor and more practical measures, promote high-quality development of the Belt and Road Initiative, and forge ahead toward our goal of a community with a shared future for the region.

    First, we should stay committed to our fundamental goal of unity, and always trust and support each other. China consistently takes Central Asia as a priority in its neighborhood diplomacy. With a firm belief in an amicable, secure and prosperous neighborhood as well as a strong dedication to amity, sincerity, mutual benefit and inclusiveness, China interacts with Central Asian countries on the basis of equality and sincerity. We always wish our neighbors well.

    Today, we will sign together a treaty on eternal good-neighborliness, friendship and cooperation to enshrine the principle of everlasting friendship in the form of law. This is a new landmark in the history of the relations between our six countries and a pioneering initiative in China’s diplomatic engagement with its neighbors. It is a milestone for today and a foundation for tomorrow.

    Second, we should optimize our cooperation framework to make it more results-oriented, more efficient, and more deeply integrated. We have agreed to designate 2025 and 2026 as the Years of High-Quality Development of China-Central Asia Cooperation. We should focus our cooperation on smooth trade, industrial investment, connectivity, green mining, agricultural modernization and personnel exchanges, and roll out more projects on the ground. We should do our best to get early harvests as soon as possible.

    China is ready to share with Central Asian countries development experience and latest technological advances, promote connectivity in digital infrastructure, enhance cooperation on artificial intelligence, and foster new quality productive forces.

    In order to promote relevant cooperation, China has decided to establish three cooperation centers, i.e. on poverty reduction, on education exchange, and on desertification prevention and control, as well as a cooperation platform on smooth trade under the China-Central Asia cooperation framework. China will provide a grant of RMB 1.5 billion yuan to Central Asian countries this year to be used in livelihood and development projects high on their agenda. China will also provide 3,000 training opportunities to Central Asian countries in the next two years.

    Third, we should develop a security framework for peace, tranquility and solidarity. We should step up regional security governance, deepen law enforcement and security cooperation, jointly prevent and thwart extreme ideologies, and resolutely fight terrorism, separatism and extremism, so as to maintain peace and stability in our region.

    China supports Central Asian countries in modernizing their national defense, law enforcement and security capacities. We will do our best to help Central Asian countries combat terrorism and transnational organized crime and safeguard cybersecurity and biosecurity. We will launch more Safe City projects, and conduct more joint exercises and joint training cooperation.

    Afghanistan is our close neighbor. We should strengthen coordination to help the country boost its development capacity and achieve peace, stability, reconstruction and development at an early date.

    Fourth, we should cement the bonds of shared vision, mutual understanding and mutual affection between our peoples. China will enhance cooperation between legislatures, political parties, women, youth, media and think tanks with Central Asian countries, conduct in-depth exchange of governance experience, and share experience in green development, poverty reduction and anti-corruption.

    China is ready to set up more cultural centers, university branches and Luban Workshops in Central Asia, and launch new majors in Central Asian languages in Chinese universities. We will continue to carry out effectively the “China-Central Asia technology and skills improvement scheme” to train more high-caliber talent for Central Asian countries.

    China supports deepening subnational cooperation with Central Asia. We will make good use of sister-city relations and people-to-people exchanges to nurture heart-to-heart connections at central and subnational levels, between official and non-governmental actors, and from adjacent to broader areas.

    I hope that the travel-facilitation measures we adopt today will be implemented as soon as possible to help our people visit each other more conveniently, efficiently and frequently like relatives, and in the course help them become ever closer to each other.

    Fifth, we should uphold a fair and equitable international order and an equal and orderly world structure. China supports Central Asian countries in playing a bigger role in international affairs. We stand ready to work with all parties to defend international fairness and justice, oppose hegemonism and power politics, and promote an equal and orderly multipolar world and a universally beneficial and inclusive economic globalization.

    This year marks the 80th anniversary of the victory of the Chinese People’s War of Resistance Against Japanese Aggression and the World Anti-Fascist War, and the 80th anniversary of the founding of the United Nations. In the strenuous times of war, Chinese and Central Asian peoples supported each other through adversity, and jointly made important contributions to the cause of justice of humanity. We should promote the correct view of history, defend the fruits of the victory of World War II, uphold the UN-centered international system, and provide more stability and certainty for world peace and development.

    Distinguished Colleagues,

    Friends,

    China is building a great modern socialist country in all respects and advancing the great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation on all fronts through Chinese modernization. No matter how the international situation changes, China will remain unwavering in opening up to the outside world, and embrace higher-quality cooperation with Central Asian countries to deepen the integration of interests and achieve common development.

    Distinguished Colleagues,

    Friends,

    Ancient Chinese philosophy advocates “mutual care and mutual benefit.” Similarly, a Central Asian proverb compares harmony and unity to happiness and wealth. China is ready to work with all parties to carry forward the China-Central Asia Spirit, pursue the goal of a community with a shared future, and strive for new progress in China-Central Asia cooperation.

    Thank you.

    MIL OSI China News –

  • MIL-OSI Russia: The TV series “Xi Jinping’s Favorite Classical Quotes” is being broadcast on major media platforms in five Central Asian countries.

    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

    On June 16, the broadcast of the TV series “Catchphrases from the Classics, Favorite by Xi Jinping” (international version) was launched in five Central Asian countries. In this regard, the President of Kazakhstan Kassym-Jomart Tokayev expressed his warm congratulations.

    Launched by China Media Group (CMG), the TV series “Xi Jinping’s Favorite Classical Quotes” (International Edition) carefully selects quotations from Chinese classical poetry and prose masterpieces used by Chinese President Xi Jinping in important speeches, articles and talks. They focus on themes of open cooperation, technological development, environmental protection and cultural innovation. With an international approach and vivid storytelling, the TV project explains to Central Asian audiences the deep historical and cultural roots of the Chinese leader’s ideas on governance, and also showcases the diversity of China’s modernization.

    MIL OSI Russia News –

  • MIL-OSI Russia: China and Central Asian countries reaffirm support for each other’s independence and sovereignty

    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 18 (Xinhua) — China and five Central Asian countries on Tuesday reaffirmed their firm support for each other’s independence, sovereignty and territorial integrity, as well as the principles of sovereign equality and the inviolability of borders, according to the Treaty of Eternal Good-Neighborliness, Friendship and Cooperation signed by China, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan.

    According to the document, the six countries also reaffirmed their determination to jointly build a closer China-Central Asia community with a shared future.

    All parties stressed that they would not use force or threaten to use it and would resolve disputes peacefully. States committed to supporting each other’s development paths and models chosen in accordance with national conditions and to supporting each other’s positions on issues of fundamental interest.

    The parties must not enter into any alliances or groups directed against the other parties and must not support any actions hostile to the other parties, the agreement says.

    All parties expressed their willingness to cooperate in the areas of trade, economy, investment, infrastructure connectivity, engineering and technology, energy (including hydro and renewable energy), transport, mineral resources, agriculture, ecology and environmental protection, processing industry, science and technology, as well as other areas of mutual interest, on the basis of equality and mutual benefit.

    The states also agreed to cooperate within the framework of bilateral and multilateral mechanisms to jointly combat terrorism, separatism, extremism and transnational organized crime. –0–

    MIL OSI Russia News –