Xi to attend 2nd China-Central Asia Summit

BEIJING - At the invitation of President of the Republic of Kazakhstan Kassym-Jomart Tokayev, Chinese President Xi Jinping will attend the second China-Central Asia Summit in Astana from June 16 to 18, a Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson announced on Friday.

The establishment of the China-Central Asia mechanism is a decision unanimously made by China and the five Central Asian countries, which conforms to the common expectations of all parties for maintaining regional stability and achieving high-quality development, spokesperson Lin Jian told a news briefing.

Since the first China-Central Asia Summit was successfully held in Xi'an in May 2023, relations between China and Central Asian countries have entered a new era, with deepened bilateral cooperation injecting new impetus into regional development and bringing tangible benefits to the people of the countries, he said.

Noting that the China-Central Asia Summit will be held in a Central Asian country for the first time, Lin said President Xi will deliver a keynote speech at the summit, and exchange views with the leaders of the Central Asian countries on the achievements of the China-Central Asia mechanism, mutually beneficial cooperation within the framework, as well as international and regional hotspot issues. The leaders will jointly attend relevant activities.

During the summit, Xi will also hold separate meetings with the leaders of Central Asian countries, Lin added.

"We believe that through the summit, China and the five Central Asian countries will further consolidate mutual trust, build consensus on cooperation, deepen the synergy of strategies, promote the upgrading of cooperation in various fields, and inject more positive energy into building a closer China-Central Asia community with a shared future," Lin said.