BAKU, Azerbaijan, March 13. Relations between
China and Central Asian countries have undergone a profound
transformation, the Director of the Institute for Strategic and
Interregional Studies under the President of the Republic of
Uzbekistan, Eldor Aripov, said, Trend reports.
He made the statement at the 13th Global Baku Forum on "Bridging
Divides in a World in Transition."
“Ten years ago, China had already become the number one investor
for all Central Asian countries. Last year, trade turnover between
China and Central Asia reached a historic record level of $106
billion. And China's total investment in the region reached $40
billion,” he said.
Aripov stressed that this is not just about the economy. The
entire architecture of China's cooperation with Central Asian
countries is changing. Previously, cooperation was mainly
bilateral, but today China has its own format - “Central Asia plus
China” with a permanent secretariat.
“At the last summit of this format, China promised to provide
Central Asian countries with $3.7 billion in loans and grants,”
Aripov noted.
According to him, cooperation in the field of infrastructure is
expanding, and new land transport corridors between China and
Kazakhstan are being built, which help solve logistical problems in
the region.
“In addition, China is expanding cooperation in other areas,
such as security. Joint projects have begun to be implemented after
many years of discussion,” Aripov said.
