“China and Central Asia Enter New Era of Relations”

Chinese President Xi Jinping announced today the entry into a “new era” of relations between his country and Central Asia, at the opening in China of an unprecedented summit with the five former Soviet republics of the region, France Press reported, BTA reported.

Aiming to strengthen economic and cultural ties with these countries, traditionally closer to Moscow than to Beijing, this major meeting is being organized at a time when US President Joe Biden is meeting G7 leaders in Japan. This is the first such “China-Central Asia Summit” since the establishment of diplomatic relations in 1992 between the Asian giant and these five countries (Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan) after the collapse of the Soviet Union.

This symbolic meeting, described by Beijing as extremely important, takes place in the historic city of Xi’an, at the eastern end of the ancient Silk Road, which connects Europe and China through Central Asia. Xi Jinping welcomed the five presidents this evening in front of a grand old-style Chinese building illuminated by red lanterns.

Dozens of dancers then performed a colorful musical performance inspired by the Tang Dynasty (618-907 AD), another symbol because the ties between China and Central Asia were particularly close at the time. “I am confident that our joint commitment will make tomorrow’s summit a great success and usher in a new era” in these relations, Xi Jinping told his five colleagues at a gala dinner. “China sincerely invites” these countries to “board the express train of its development to build a better future together,” Xi was quoted as saying by the Chinese Foreign Ministry.