At a press conference held on June 16, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Guo Jiakun highlighted the growing importance of high-quality Belt and Road cooperation between China and Central Asian countries. Guo emphasized that Central Asia was the first region where the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) was proposed, and it has since become a leading area for implementing high-standard cooperation projects. He noted that China has signed BRI agreements with all five Central Asian countries, and that mutual-benefit projects in infrastructure and energy have significantly enhanced regional connectivity, while cooperation in digital economy and green development is expanding.
According to Guo, trade volume between China and Central Asian countries reached a record 674.1 billion yuan in 2024. He pointed to landmark projects such as the China-Kazakhstan crude oil pipeline, the China-Central Asia natural gas pipeline, and various road and railway construction efforts as major contributions to regional development. Guo also highlighted recent achievements including mutual visa exemption agreements with Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan, increasing cultural exchanges, and the establishment of Luban Workshops to provide vocational training. He stated that the upcoming Second China-Central Asia Summit will outline a new vision for future cooperation and support the broader development of the Belt and Road Initiative.