Experts discuss China–Central Asia relations at forum in Almaty
The event was organized by the Consulate General of the People’s Republic of China in Almaty, in collaboration with Xinhua News Agency and the Belt and Road Expert Club.
In her speech, Chinese Consul General in Almaty Jiang Wei noted that the second "China–Central Asia" summit will take place in June. Leaders of six nations will gather in Kazakhstan to explore cooperation prospects.
"The Chinese side is ready to work with all parties to further enhance strategic mutual trust, continue the centuries-old friendship, and jointly build even closer cooperation," said the Consul General.
Bulat Sultanov, head of the Belt and Road Expert Club, emphasized that over the years, Central Asian countries and China have proven capable of mutually beneficial cooperation in various fields — from economy and trade to education, culture, and tourism.
"It is essential to develop efforts to clarify the mutually beneficial cooperation between the region's countries and China — cooperation based on mutual respect, trust, good neighborliness, friendship, and equality," the expert stated.
Bulat Sultanov and Jiang Wei
Ruslan Kenzhaev, deputy editor-in-chief of Uzbekistan's Narodnoe Slovo newspaper, said that strengthening partnerships with China opens new horizons for Central Asian nations.
Ismail Dairov, Director of the Central Asia Regional Mining Center, noted that the countries of Central Asia have maintained close ties and cooperation for centuries. Anushervon Rasulov, Editor-in-Chief of Asal Media, added that both China and Central Asia face similar challenges — from the need for technological transformation to balancing tradition and innovation.
"In this context, Chinese modernization serves not only as an example but also as a potential catalyst for similar processes in Central Asia," he concluded.