In his welcoming speech, the Director of the Institute of Russian, Eastern European and Central Asian Studies at the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences, Sun Zhuangzhi, noted the importance and significance of the Fourth Forum of “Central Asia – China” think tanks.

He said the Forum was a great success, rich in content and filled with new ideas. “The comprehensive theme of today’s event once again demonstrates the broad prospects for Chinese-Central Asian cooperation”, the expert specified.

The expert paid particular attention to the positive dynamics of relations between China and Central Asia. Over the past 30 years, this cooperation has become an example of a new type of equal and mutually beneficial relations, and bilateral relations have gone from good neighborly friendship to a strategic and comprehensive partnership.

According to Sun Zhuangzhi, “The greatest political advantage of a comprehensive partnership between the parties is the diplomacy of state leaders”.

It was noted that last year’s results of the Xi’an Summit and the Belt and Road Forum, which are of “epoch-making significance”, opened a new stage in developing China’s cooperation with Central Asian states.

Speaking about the prospects for further interaction between China and Central Asia, he emphasized the importance of deepening cooperation in ecology and digitalization. “To form a community of common destiny, it is necessary to constantly develop practical actions aimed at developing these areas”, Sun Zhuangzhi concluded.

G. Khonnazarov, N. Khaydarov, UzA