#China #Xi Jinping #Astana #BRI #China-Central Asia

Strengthening Ties: The Second China-Central Asia Summit

On June 16-18, 2025, leaders from China and five Central Asian nations will gather in Astana, Kazakhstan for the highly anticipated second China-Central Asia Summit. This significant event follows an announcement from the Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs regarding President Xi Jinping's participation, signaling the strong commitment of both China and its Central Asian partners to deepen their cooperation. The nations involved include Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, and Uzbekistan.

The primary aim of this summit is to pave the way for a stronger collaborative community between China and Central Asia. Experts, including Cui Zheng from the Liaoning University’s Research Center, emphasize that this summit presents an opportunity to strengthen strategic trust and foster practical cooperation. By doing so, these countries hope to contribute positively to global stability, particularly in times of uncertainty.

Building on Previous Successes

The first summit held in May 2023 marked a significant milestone in the institutionalization of a multilateral mechanism focused on peace, development, and mutual respect. During that summit, the Xi'an Declaration was signed, committing the six nations to work towards a closer community for a shared future. Following this declaration, various collaborative projects have emerged, transforming the aspirations expressed in Xi'an into tangible realities.

One of the most notable projects is a railway initiative between China, Kyrgyzstan, and Uzbekistan. After years of discussions, this project has officially progressed into the construction preparation phase. Upon completion, it is expected to significantly reduce logistics costs and transit times, enhancing trade efficiency across the region. This railway will connect the Asia-Pacific to Europe, offering a fresh solution for trans-Eurasian transport.

In addition to the railway, several other initiatives are demonstrating the effectiveness of cooperative efforts under the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI). For instance, stable operations of China-Kazakhstan oil and gas pipelines, accompanied by the Shymkent refinery's operations, reflect successful energy collaborations. In Uzbekistan, a new gas-fired power plant has been launched, and construction of an Olympic city is well underway. Tajikistan is equally active, with key projects like government buildings and road expansions taking form, further solidifying the bilateral relations.

The trading landscape has also seen profound improvements. As of March 2025, the cumulative trade volume of natural gas transported via the China-Central Asia gas pipeline reached an impressive 430 billion cubic meters. This statistic corresponds to China’s total annual gas consumption, illustrating the depth of energy ties between these regions.

Expanding Economic Cooperation

As reported by China's Ministry of Commerce, bilateral trade between China and the five Central Asian countries exceeded $94.8 billion in 2024, marking a $5.4 billion increase from the previous year. This uptrend highlights China's expanding investments, particularly within the green energy sector and agricultural product processing.

Profound collaboration efforts and engagement in trade and investment reflect a transformative shift in these nations' interrelations, with Central Asia recognized as a crucial zone for the BRI initiatives. The upcoming summit is not just a forum to showcase the achievements of multilaterally driven cooperation but also a platform to forge a new model of South-South collaboration, designed to uplift regional economies continuously.

In conclusion, the second China-Central Asia Summit promises to reinforce and expand the collaborative framework established in previous meetings while fostering new economic pathways that could benefit all participant nations involved. As they approach the summit, there is an air of optimism regarding the future of this vital partnership.