China endeavors to promote high-level development of its relations with central Asian Countries

By He Yin, Peoples Daily
Chinese President Xi Jinping held talks with Turkmen President Serdar Berdimuhamedov at the
Great Hall of the People in Beijing recently during the latter state visit to China.
The two heads of state announced the elevation of the China-Turkmenistan relationship to a
comprehensive strategic partnership, reached important consensus on advancing the building of a
China-Turkmenistan community with a shared future, and witnessed the signing of agreements on
cooperation under the framework of the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) and cooperation in other
fields.
This marks China success in establishing a comprehensive strategic partnership, advancing the
building of a community with a shared future for mankind at the bilateral level, and signing BRI
cooperation documents with all five Central Asian countries.
With similar visions and goals as well as intertwined interests, China and Turkmenistan have
achieved fruitful results in exchanges and cooperation in multiple fields and at all levels, and seen
their bilateral friendly ties grow from strength to strength under the strategic guidance of the two
countries heads of state.
The two countries' decisions to establish a comprehensive strategic partnership, continuously
deepen bilateral cooperation across the board, and build a China-Turkmenistan community with a
shared future is expected to push forwardthe development of their bilateral relations at a higher
level.
Building a China-Turkmenistan community with a shared future is an endeavor that enables the
two sides to further deepen mutually beneficial cooperation, better accommodate each other
concerns, and reinforce their everlasting friendship on the basis of mutual respect, candor, mutual
trust, and mutual benefit.
The two sides should support each other on issues concerning their core interests and respect each
other pursuit of a development path suited to their own national conditions.
It is important for the two countries to synergize their development strategies at a faster pace,
make full use of such mechanisms as the China-Turkmenistan Cooperation Committee, and
continue to expand the breadth and depth of cooperation, in order to create underpinnings for
bilateral relations with tangible cooperation outcomes.
The two sides should deepen cooperation on law enforcement, security and bio-security, and
jointly crack down on the three forces of terrorism, separatism and extremism, to build strong
security shields for the development of both countries.
The two sides also need to increase exchanges in various fields and at all levels, advance people-
to-people cooperation, and strengthen the emotional bond between their peoples, so as to
consolidate the popular and social foundation for the sustained and sound development of bilateral
ties.
These efforts are conducive to the two countries national development and rejuvenation and can
help improve the well-being of their people.
The further elevation of the China-Turkmenistan relationship mirrors the high-level development
of the relations between China and Central Asian countries.
Thirty-one years ago, China took the lead in establishing diplomatic ties with Central Asian
countries, opening the door to bilateral exchanges and cooperation. Over the past 31 years, China
and Central Asian countries have blazed a new trail of good-neighborly friendship and win-win
cooperation, and set a good example of fostering a new type of international relations.
As Xi pointed out at the Virtual Summit to Commemorate the 30th Anniversary of Diplomatic
Relations Between China and Central Asian Countries, which was held last January, no matter
how the international landscape may evolve or how developed China may grow, China will
always remain a good neighbor, a good partner, a good friend, and a good brother that Central
Asian countries can trust and count on.
The establishment of the comprehensive strategic partnership between China and each of the five
Central Asian countries and their jointly pursuing a community with a shared future for mankind
at the bilateral level help safeguard regional peace, stability, development, and prosperity.

The China + Central Asia (C+C5) cooperation mechanism, as a new mechanism established for
promoting cooperation between China and Central Asian countries, is open and transparent,
mutually beneficial, equitable, and pragmatic. It has provided an important platform for deepening
all-round cooperation between China and Central Asian countries.
The success of the first C+C5 summit will bring into fully play the guiding role of the head-of-
state diplomacy, promote new progress in the relations between China and Central Asian
countries, and help both sides better cope with common challenges.
Central Asia is where the BRI was first proposed. Upholding the principle of extensive
consultation, joint contribution, and shared benefits, China and Central Asian countries have
empowered the BRI to bear rich fruits in Central Asia, bringing tangible benefits to local people of
the region.
Under the framework of the alignment of the BRI with the development strategies of Central
Asian countries, China and Central Asian countries have made a series of historic, landmark and
groundbreaking achievements.
The China-Central AsiaGasPipeline, the longest of its kind in the world, delivered more than 400
billion cubic meters of natural gas to China as of June 2022; the completion of the
KamchiqTunnel of the Angren–Pap railway line in Uzbekistan has utterly changed the way of
traveling of more than 10 million people; the establishment of the China-Kazakhstan Horgos
International Border Cooperation Center and the China-Kazakhstan International Logistics Base
has opened the door to the Pacific Ocean for Central Asian countries; and the China-Kyrgyzstan-
Uzbekistan highway has officially opened to traffic, becoming an unimpeded international
transport artery that passes through lofty mountains.
The two sides' efforts to continue promoting thehigh-quality constructionof theBRI and
accelerating the alignment of their development strategies will further boost economic
development, improve people's well-being, consolidate friendly ties, and enhance mutual trust in
the region.
As a Chinese saying goes, neighbors wish each other well, just as loved ones do to each other.
Acting on the principles of amity, sincerity, mutual benefit, and inclusiveness and the policy of
forging friendships and partnerships with its neighbors, China strives to enhance friendly ties,
mutual trust, and converging interests with its neighboring countries.
By renewing their friendship, advancing cooperation, and working together to build a closer
China-Central Asia community with a shared future, China and Central Asian countries will make
greater contributions to the building of a community with a shared future for mankind.