Eric's Insight: State visits to C. Asia boost BRI, community building

Chinese President Xi Jinping has paid state visits to the Central Asian countries of Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan from September 14 to 16, giving a strong pull to the construction of the Belt and Road projects and the community of a shared future with the neighboring countries.

Chinese President Xi Jinping attends a welcome ceremony held by Kazakh President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev at the Ak Orda Presidential Palace in Nur-Sultan, Kazakhstan, Sept. 14, 2022. (Xinhua/Yue Yuewei)

At his first stop in Kazakhstan, President Xi met with his counterpart Kassym-Jomart Tokayev and received the Order of the Golden Eagle, which is the highest order of Kazakhstan awarded to individuals for their contribution to Kazakh national development.

What’s more, a joint statement on the 30th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations was issued by China and Kazakhstan during President Xi's visit, summarizing the achievements of bilateral cooperation over the past decades and boosting political confidence for the future.

The two sides stand ready to actively promote the synergy between the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) and Kazakhstan's "Bright Road" new economic policy, so as to give strong impetus to cross-border trade in goods and services and benefit the people of the two countries, noted the statement.

Sharing a long border section with northwest China’s Xinjiang region, the 2,724,900 km² Kazakhstan is the most immense among the five Central Asian nations, and it is thus holds a key to China’s neighborhood diplomacy and connectivity with more countries.

Back in 2013, part of the BRI, namely the Silk Road Economic Belt, was first proposed by President Xi in Kazakhstan, so it is of practical significance now for the two countries to further coordinate the national policies for more shared benefits through wide consultation and joint contribution.

The BRI has emerged as a flagship public good for the international community. As of July this year, 149 countries and 32 international organizations had signed cooperative documents with China under the framework of the Belt and Road Initiative.

“China and Kazakhstan are willing to actively cooperate in implementing the Global Development Initiative and the Global Security Initiative proposed by Chinese President Xi Jinping, and jointly building a community with a shared future for mankind,” said a Xinhua report.

President Xi Jinping holds talks with Uzbek President Shavkat Mirziyoyev in Samarkand, Uzbekistan, Sept 15, 2022. [Photo/Xinhua] 

In his two-day historic visit to Uzbekistan, President Xi held talks with Uzbek President Shavkat Mirziyoyev Sept. 15, when fresh plans and projects for connectivity, energy and green development were among the major highlights.

Xi told Mirziyoyev that China is ready to work with Uzbekistan to improve Eurasian transportation routes and push for the early start of the construction of the China-Kyrgyzstan-Uzbekistan railway, according to a China Daily report. A memorandum of understanding on jointly constructing the Kyrgyzstan section of the railway has been signed.

Located in the hinterland of Central Asia, Uzbekistan is similar to the landlocked Lao PDR on the Indo-China peninsular, and therefore the role of China-Uzbekistan railway could be comparable to that of the China-Laos railway. It will surely turn Uzbekistan into a land-linked communication hub.

On the same day, China and Uzbekistan issued a joint statement on promoting their comprehensive strategic partnership, advancing all-round cooperation, and putting into practice the idea of community of a shared future at the bilateral level.

The two sides agreed to actively push forward the synergy between the Belt and Road Initiative and the development strategy of "New Uzbekistan" for 2022-2026, while coordinating on Afghanistan-related issues within the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO), said a Xinhua report.

Also, the ongoing SCO summit in Uzbekistan, the most populous among the five central Asian countries, has allowed President Xi to exchange ideas and form synergy with the leaders of Russia, Pakistan, Mongolia, Turkey, Iran and more.

Uzbekistan said it supports the Global Development Initiative (GDI) and the Global Security Initiative (GSI), both of which were put forward by China amid the volatile international landscape in recent years, caused by the COVID-19 pandemic and the Russian-Ukrainian conflict.

In view of the uncertainties, the state visits to Central Asia by President Xi have injected more certainties into the international community, increasing global confidence in building of the Belt and Road and the community of a shared future for mankind.

(The writer Eric Wang Shixue is an English editor with the Mekong News Network based in Kunming, Yunnan province. The view in the article does not necessarily represent that of Yunnan Gateway.)