The Limited Times

Now you can see non-English news...

China hosts Central Asian leaders for unprecedented summit

2023-05-18T10:10:10.344Z

Highlights: Chinese President Xi Jinping is hosting his counterparts from the five ex-Soviet Central Asian republics at a summit Beijing described as "extremely important" This is the very first edition of this "China-Central Asia summit" since the establishment of diplomatic relations between the Asian giant and these countries in 1992. The summit takes place almost at the same time as a meeting in Hiroshima of G7 leaders (Canada, France, United States, Germany, Italy, Japan, United Kingdom) attended by US President Joe Biden.


President Xi Jinping is hosting his counterparts from the five ex-Soviet Central Asian republics at a summit Beijing described as "extremely important."


Chinese President Xi Jinping welcomes his counterparts from the five former Soviet republics of Central Asia on Thursday (May 18th) for a historic summit aimed at strengthening regional ties, as Joe Biden meets in Japan with G7 leaders. Symbolic choice: the event described as "extremely important" by Beijing is held in the large historic city of Xian, in the north, the eastern end of the ancient Silk Road that linked Europe and China via Central Asia.

This is the very first edition of this "China-Central Asia summit" since the establishment of diplomatic relations between the Asian giant and these countries in 1992, after the fall of the USSR. Formerly members of the Russian Empire and then the Soviet Union, these nations (Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan) maintain privileged economic, linguistic and diplomatic ties with Moscow.

"Promoting development and peace in the world"

But with the war in Ukraine, Russian influence has waned. A relative vacuum that the Chinese president is all the more willing to fill as he wants to develop his international stature and the influence of his country, according to experts. "Xi Jinping will present himself as a leader who can promote development and peace in the world," Zhiqun Zhu, a professor of international relations at Bucknell University in the United States, told AFP.

The summit takes place almost at the same time as a meeting in Hiroshima of G7 leaders (Canada, France, United States, Germany, Italy, Japan, United Kingdom) attended by US President Joe Biden - whose country regularly portrays Beijing as a threat.

Read alsoNicolas Baverez: "50 years after the prophecy of Peyrefitte, China has awakened... and the world trembles"

«Strong support»

The Japanese event will likely focus on the strategy to be put in place to "counter China's growing influence in the world," according to Zhiqun Zhu. On the other hand, the "diplomatic and strategic importance" of the unprecedented meeting held in Xi'an on Thursday and Friday "should not be underestimated," he said. "The China-Central Asia summit shows that China's rejuvenation cannot be hindered and has strong support in Central Asia and elsewhere in developing countries.

»

China estimates that its trade with Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan reached a total of around 70 billion dollars (64 billion euros) last year and climbed 22% year-on-year in the first quarter of 2023. The former Soviet republics of Central Asia also occupy a crucial place in China's "New Silk Road" initiative, also known as the Belt and Road.

Embodied by Xi Jinping who launched it at the end of 2013, this pharaonic program intends to develop, thanks to Chinese funds, roads, ports, railways and infrastructure abroad. The Asian giant, whose development needs raw materials, has already invested billions of euros to exploit natural gas reserves in Central Asia and build rail links linking China to Europe via the region.

" READ ALSO War in Ukraine: why China could benefit from the weakening of Russia

Announcements Friday

The summit that opens on Thursday is expected to be an opportunity to advance some infrastructure projects. Among them are the China-Kyrgyzstan-Uzbekistan railway line, long stalled and costing six billion dollars, or the extension of the pipeline between Central Asia and China.

During a meeting with Xi Jinping on Wednesday, Kazakhstan's President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev hailed "significant results" in recent years of cooperation under the "New Silk Roads", especially in transport and logistics. On Thursday, the Chinese president told his Kyrgyz counterpart Sadyr Japarov that China is "willing to work with Kyrgyzstan to build a community of good neighborliness, friendship, shared prosperity and common future."

Xi Jinping will hold talks with other regional leaders later in the day. A welcoming ceremony is also planned for the evening. The main announcements of the summit are expected to take place on Friday morning, with a meeting between the six presidents and the press as well as the likely publication of a joint communiqué.

Source: lefigaro

All news articles on 2023-05-18

You may like

News/Politics 2024-03-24T09:23:53.927Z
Life/Entertain 2024-02-06T08:31:40.845Z
News/Politics 2024-03-18T05:17:30.537Z

Trends 24h

News/Politics 2024-03-28T06:04:53.137Z

Latest

© Communities 2019 - Privacy

The information on this site is from external sources that are not under our control.
The inclusion of any links does not necessarily imply a recommendation or endorse the views expressed within them.