Summit a new milestone in China-Central Asia relations: Chinese FM

Chinese State Councilor and Foreign Minister Qin Gang speaks on the China-Central Asia Summit during a media interview in Xi'an, northwest China's Shaanxi Province. The China-Central Asia Summit was held here from Thursday to Friday. [Xinhua/Ding Haitao]

XI'AN -- Chinese State Councilor and Foreign Minister Qin Gang on Friday said the China-Central Asia Summit is a new milestone in China-Central Asia relations.

Qin made the remarks in a media interview after the conclusion of the summit, held in the northwestern Chinese city of Xi'an from Thursday to Friday.

Qin said the summit has written a new chapter in the building of a community with a shared future for humanity.

He said that President Xi Jinping's keynote speech at the summit was the first comprehensive and systematic exposition on China's foreign policy toward Central Asia by China's top leader in the new era.

He said that during the summit, China and five Central Asian countries signed seven bilateral and multilateral documents as well as over 100 cooperation agreements in various fields.

Qin said that the summit provides new impetus for deepening China-Central Asia relations.

China announced respectively with Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan the building of a community with a shared future at the bilateral level, Qin said, adding that this is the first time the vision of a community with a shared future has been fully implemented at the multilateral and bilateral levels in a region.

He stated that the summit has built a new platform for expanding exchanges and cooperation in various fields.

The establishment of a slew of new mechanisms and platforms will provide broader space and a more effective guarantee for expanding China-Central Asia exchanges at all levels and deepening all-around cooperation, Qin said.

He said that the summit has also opened up new prospects for mutually beneficial cooperation.

President Xi announced a series of major cooperation initiatives at the summit. During the summit, China also signed a mutual visa exemption agreement with Kazakhstan. The Year of Culture and Arts for the Peoples of China and Central Asian Countries was officially launched, according to Qin.

He said these initiatives and achievements have injected new vitality into strengthening China-Central Asia cooperation.

The Chinese foreign minister said that the summit has contributed new strength to upholding international fairness and justice. China and Central Asian countries have unanimously agreed to firmly defend multilateralism and resist unilateralism, hegemonism and power politics, injecting more certainty into a world full of uncertainties.

He stated that the summit has also set a new example for unity and self-strengthening among developing countries.

Qin said that building a closer China-Central Asia community with a shared future is the most important political achievement of this summit. China and Central Asian countries will give each other clear and strong support concerning core issues such as sovereignty, security, and development interests.

He said that China and Central Asian countries will work together to create a cooperation model that is profoundly complementary and highly win-win.

Qin said that China and Central Asian countries will also jointly address new challenges in traditional and non-traditional fields.

He said China will implement the Global Security Initiative with Central Asian countries. China will resolutely oppose external forces undermining the legitimate governments of Central Asian countries and instigating a new round of "color revolutions."

He stated that China and Central Asian countries will actively establish a diversified and interactive paradigm for people-to-people and cultural exchanges.

Qin called for concerted efforts to turn the important consensus reached by the heads of state into practical actions.

He said that China's cooperation with Central Asia does not target any third party. It is not subject to any third party's constraints, and it is not an "exclusive club," Qin said, adding that the cooperation opposes bloc politics and Cold War confrontation.

Qin said that China-Central Asia cooperation, under the guidance of the leadership of the heads of state of the six countries, will bear more fruits.