On Friday, Chinese President Xi Jinping presented a large-scale plan to expand cooperation with five Central Asian countries - from infrastructure development to trade promotion, writes Reuters.
Xi Jinping said at the China-Central Asia Summit that China is ready to coordinate development strategies with Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan, and will also promote the modernization of all these countries.
"This summit has given new impetus to development and revival for the six countries and added powerful positive energy to regional peace and stability," Xi said.
"We will jointly develop a new paradigm of deeply mutually beneficial cooperation at a high level," he added.
According to Xi, China will also improve bilateral investment agreements and increase the volume of cross-border freight transportation with Central Asian countries.
Xi added that China would encourage its funded enterprises in the region to create more jobs, build warehouses and launch a special rail link aimed at promoting tourism.
"To strengthen our cooperation and development of Central Asia, China will provide Central Asian countries with financial support and grants totaling 26 billion yuan (US$3.8 billion - ed.)," Xi said.
Xi also added that the construction of the D line (gas pipeline between China and Central Asia) should be accelerated.
Before that, he called on China and Central Asia to increase oil and gas trade, develop energy cooperation, and cooperate in the field of energy.
