China—Central Asia Cooperation Forum Held in Lanzhou

The China-Central Asia Cooperation Forum on the theme of “Amity， Sincerity， Mutual Benefit， Inclusiveness and Practical Cooperation” co-sponsored by the CPAFFC and the Gansu Provincial People’s Government， was held in Lanzhou on July 6.

About 400 people attended the event， including Chen Yuan， Vice Chairman of the National Committee of the Chinese People’s Political Consultative Conference （CPPCC）； Wang Sanyun， Secretary of the Gansu Provincial Committee of the Communist Party of China （CPC）； Li Xiaolin， President of the CPAFFC； Liu Weiping， Governor of Gansu Province； Gao Yan， Vice Minister of Commerce； Wang Heshan， Vice Chairman of the Ningxia Hui Autonomous Regional Government； Saydullo Khayrulloye， Former Chairman of the Assembly of Representatives of Tajikistan and President of the Tajik Society of Friendship and Cultural Relations with Foreign Countries； and Dmitry Mezentsev， Secretary General of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization （SCO）.

Local leaders and representatives of various circles from 10 Chinese provinces （regions） and eight countries along the Silk Road in Central Asia； and diplomats from the embassies of the five Central Asian countries in China and from the SCO were also present.

Implementing the Belt and Road Initiatives

During his visit to four Central Asian countries in September 2013， Chinese President Xi Jinping put forward the strategic initiative of the Silk Road Economic Belt. This has helped to elevate relations between China and the countries along the ancient Silk Road， especially the five Central Asian states and provide an important new opportunity for cooperation in development of the Eurasian region as well as the world.

In his speech， Chen Yuan said the Belt and Road Initiatives was an important concept in cooperation conforming to the general trend， meeting the needs of regional development and benefiting everyone. It also represented China’s strategic decision to launch a new round of opening up and developing an open economic system.

This forum in Gansu was an important meeting in that process. Its theme reflected China’s wish to carry out mutually beneficial and practical cooperation with Central Asian and other countries along the Silk Road by turning their advantages in political relations， geographic location and economic complementarities into practical cooperation and sustainable growth.

Wang Sanyun expressed his hope that Gansu Province could forge fraternal friendship with countries along the Silk Road for common prosperity and development. Gansu was ready to accept its important responsibility to promote harmony and ensure a smooth flow of materials， people and information on the Silk Road， and work hard to become a backbone force and important pillar in building a prosperous， cultural， green and harmonious Silk Road.

Li Xiaolin said that the CPAFFC would give full play to its unique role of people-to-people friendship and local cooperation in promoting exchanges with foreign countries to provide a wider platform for the building of the Belt and Road Initiatives.

The foreign participants unanimously agreed that the concept conforms to current world development as well as regional needs. It would give the ancient Silk Road a new meaning and boost Asia-Europe regional cooperation.

Rich Contents and Fruitful Results

Besides maintaining the panel discussions on “economic and trade cooperation” and “social and cultural exchanges” set out in the 2012 China-Central Asia Cooperation Forum， the Gansu meeting also highlighted “dialogue between local leaders of China and Central Asian countries”. Participants had in-depth discussion on how to promote practical exchanges and cooperation， and reached broad consensus on future-oriented comprehensive cooperation.

They also discussed such subjects as establishing friendship provinces， deepening friendship-city ties as well as economic and trade cooperation projects. The forum achieved constructive results in a warm， friendly and pragmatic atmosphere.

Remarkable Results in

Local Exchanges

At the invitation of the CPAFFC and the Gansu Provincial People’s Government， governors （mayors） of Sughd Province of Tajikistan； Talas， Chuy and Osh provinces of Kyrgyzstan； Eastern Kazakhstan Province， Kostanay Province and Almaty City of Kazakhstan； Qom Province of Iran； Alba County of Romania； Somogy Province of Hungary； Penzenskaya Province of Russia and Chisinau City of Moldova， came to the meeting and established links with Chinese counterparts.

Ningxia Hui Autonomous Region and Eastern Kazakhstan Province and Chuy Province， Guangdong Province and Eastern Kazakhstan Province， and Henan Province and Talas Province respectively signed memorandum of understanding on the establishment of friendship-province ties； Shanghai and Almaty reached an initial intent on exchanges of visits and strengthening local exchanges and cooperation.

Economic and Trade

Cooperation Results

Chinar Rustamova， Turkmenistan Ambassador to China， and relevant Chinese enterprises agreed on exchanges and cooperation in railway construction and in the optoelectronic industry. Gansu Ruisheng-Yamit Hi-tech Agricultural Co.， Ltd. and Governor of Talas Province of Kyrgyzstan reached initial agreement on setting up the company’s drip irrigation equipment branch factory in Talas. The Kazak delegation and representatives of the China Petroleum Chemical Industry Federation also had fruitful discussions.

People-to-People， Cultural and Educational Cooperation

The CPAFFC and the Tajik Society of Friendship and Cultural Relations with Foreign Countries had discussions on further strengthening their cooperation and agreed to exchange delegations. The Institute for Diplomacy of the Foreign Office of Kyrgyzstan and China Foreign Affairs University， and the Tajik State Institute of Foreign Languages and Lanzhou University of Technology respectively reached initial agreement on inter-university cooperation.

As the forum was held during the 20th China Lanzhou Investment and Trade Fair， the Chinese and foreign participants also visited the main exhibition and had talks on specific cooperative projects with substantial results.