Xi's state visits to Kazakhstan, Tajikistan herald a new dawn

Following the successful celebration of the 70th anniversary of the Five Principles of Peaceful Coexistence and adoption of "Beijing Declaration" on June 28, Chinese President Xi Jinping is set to make historic state visits to Kazakhstan and Tajikistan from July 2 to 6.

The visit will showcase China's good neighborhood diplomacy and peaceful coexistence with the Central Asian countries, bolstering diplomatic and economic relations between China and the Central Asian nations.

A number of bilateral cooperation agreements in a variety of fields, including politics, commerce, investment, infrastructure development, education, tourism, culture, individual exchanges, and the green economy, are anticipated to be signed by these nations and reflect their continued agreement with China.

Since Kazakhstan is the country where the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) was first proposed in 2013, the visit will always be significant historically and strategically. The trip serves as a stark reminder of how closely China and Central Asia adhere to the ideal of peaceful coexistence. High-level contacts between China and Kazakhstan are regular. President Xi visited Kazakhstan in 2022, kicking off a new, golden 30 years of bilateral relations.

This important visit in 2024 is occurring concurrently with the 24th Meeting of the Council of Heads of State of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) in Astana, indicating a shared commitment to promoting cooperation in the Sino-Eurasian-Central Asian region, boosting mutual trust, benefit, equality, consultation, respect for cultural diversity, and the pursuit of shared development.

China has made a significant contribution to the prosperity of Central Asia through its BRI, which has transformed landlocked regions into land-linked bridges and advanced the region's renewable energy, transport, economic, and technological growth.

The China-Central Asia Summit in May 2023 was a significant step forward in strengthening the relationship. China's involvement in Tajikistan's high-quality growth is one example. Tajikistan has gone from being an importer of cement to an exporter thanks to the initiative, which has resulted in major projects including the Vahdat-Yavan railway, Dushanbe-Chanak Highway and Dushanbe No.2 thermal power plant.

Xi's visit has the potential to yield enormous benefits for a future-focused, all-around amicable and cooperative partnership in boosting transport links, bolstering relations in the digital economy and digital transformation.

The economic and trade, energy, mining, transportation, agriculture, green industry, and artificial intelligence sectors would all benefit greatly from the visit. China and these nations are collaborating closely to create a community with a common future characterized by enduring friendship, support, and advantages for both parties.

Kazakhstan, the cradle of the BRI, will now concurrently ignite two tiers of high spirit cooperation. The Astana summit will serve as a vital catalyst for the direction of future regional collaboration under the BRI and Shanghai spirit frameworks. The presence of Xi at the summit is a significant diplomatic step on Beijing's behalf toward its neighbors and will greatly accelerate the development of the China-SCO community with a shared future. With Xi's visit, the SCO will be even more united in its efforts to advance high-caliber cooperation across a wide range of issues, including politics, the economy, security, and culture.

The visit intends to revitalize the connection between China and Central Asia, where these nations are China's strategic partners, and demonstrates how much China values neighborhood diplomacy. The timing of Xi's visit and attendance at the SCO summit is crucial because it will allow him to engage with regional leaders on issues of great strategic importance and foster more vibrant cooperation under the Belt and Road Initiative, Global Development Initiative, Global Civilization Initiative frameworks, which can transform the landlocked Central Asian region into a vital hub for regional transportation, strengthening China-Central Asia relations, promoting regional prosperity, international peace, and global development.

The trips may spur deeper and wider areas of bilateral and regional collaboration between China and Central Asia, such as the building of additional logistical corridors that might further support regional integration and growth. The visit will better align the development goals of other member nations with the Belt and Road Initiative.

In light of global geopolitical problems and the hegemonic Cold War mentality of certain nations, the Astana spirit needs to really recognize the strategic independence of the Global South and enhance cooperation between the Global South and Eurasia. The collaborative, trusting, and united spirit of an organization is very valuable in the modern world.

Abu Sufian is working in British American Tobacco, Bangladesh (BATB), a London-based MNC. He regularly writes opinion pieces on trade, economy, and diplomacy for local media outlets. The views don't necessarily reflect those of China Daily.

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