At the beginning of the New Year, President Xi Jinping exchanged congratulatory messages with the heads of state of Uzbekistan, Kazakhstan, Tajikistan, Kyrgyzstan and Turkmenistan to celebrate the 30th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic ties, which pointed out the direction for the development of China's relations with Central Asian countries and pragmatic cooperation in various fields. The Ministry of Commerce has earnestly implemented the guiding principles of congratulatory messages exchanged by heads of state, held the Forum for Economic and Trade Cooperation between China and Central Asia, and jointly adopted the joint initiative with the parties to further sum up cooperation experience, forge cooperation consensus and promote high-quality and sustainable economic and trade cooperation between China and Central Asia.

Since the establishment of diplomatic ties 30 years ago, under the strategic guidance of leaders of the countries, China and Central Asian countries have forged ahead together to build vibrant and mutually beneficial economic and trade relations of multiple dimensions, and achieved solid and significant cooperation outcomes. First, policy communication continues to deepen. China and the five Central Asian countries have further aligned Belt and Road cooperation with the development strategies of Central Asian countries, and established an all-round alignment mechanism for economic and trade cooperation. Second, higher connectivity of infrastructure facilitates exchanges. China and the five Central Asian countries have actively promoted infrastructure connectivity, and formed four-dimensional connectivity of highway, railway, air and Internet. Projects such as China-Kyrgyzstan-Uzbekistan Highway, China-Tajikistan Highway, China-Central Asia natural gas pipelines and China-Kazakhstan crude oil pipelines have been running securely and stably. Third, unimpeded trade brings mutual benefit. The trade volume between China and five Central Asian countries jumped from less than USD500 million at the beginning of the establishment of diplomatic ties to USD50.1 billion, an increase of more than 100 times. Fourth, financial integration helps development. China has jointly implemented a number of oil and gas, mining, agriculture, textile, processing and manufacturing projects with Central Asian countries, helping the five countries enhance their capacity for self-generated development. Fifth, closer people-to-people ties and looking out for each other. In the face of the pandemic unseen in a century, China and Central Asian countries tide over this difficult time, providing anti-epidemic materials to each other as promptly as possible. China sent medical experts to Central Asian countries and provided COVID-19 vaccines, while China and Uzbekistan also started joint production of vaccines.

In the next step, the Ministry of Commerce will work with economic and trade departments of Central Asian countries to take the 30th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic ties as a new starting point, strengthen the top-level design of economic cooperation and trade, speed up negotiation and implementation of medium- and long-term economic cooperation and trade plans with Central Asian countries, and provide guidance for pragmatic cooperation in various areas after the pandemic. We will keep cooperation channels smooth, strengthen cooperation on cross-border e-commerce and other new business forms, expand the import of high-quality products in Central Asia, implement more high-standard, sustainable and people-centered cooperation projects, and keep industrial and supply chains between China and Central Asian countries stable. We will enhance the level of cooperation, tap the potential of cooperation in digital economy, promote green transformation of traditional industries, and speed up signing investment cooperation MOUs on digital economy and green development. To amplify the effect of cooperation, we will strengthen exchanges with Central Asian countries in poverty reduction experience, COVID-19 vaccine, food security, development financing and other areas, strengthen cooperation within the multilateral framework, promote the implementation of global development initiatives, and contribute to a Community with a Shared Future for Mankind. Thank you.