Commentary: Deepening China-Central Asia cooperation conducive to regional, world peace, prosperity

XI'AN, May 19 (Xinhua) -- The China-Central Asia Summit has drawn a new blueprint for deepening cooperation to build a closer China-Central Asia community with a shared future, injecting positive energy into peace and prosperity of the region and the world at large.

While delivering a keynote speech at the summit on Friday in Xi'an, northwest China's Shaanxi Province, Chinese President Xi Jinping made an eight-point proposal ranging from expanding economic ties to strengthening cultural exchanges and safeguarding regional peace.

More trade facilitation measures will be rolled out and bilateral investment agreements will be upgraded to bring trade volume to a new height. China is ready to help Central Asian countries strengthen capacity building on law enforcement, security and defense in an effort to safeguard regional peace, Xi said.

Since establishing diplomatic relations 31 years ago, China and the five Central Asian countries have followed the principles of mutual respect, good neighborliness, friendship, mutual assistance, and win-win cooperation, setting a good example of a new type of international relations.

The China-Central Asia relations are brimming with vigor and vitality in the new era. China has established comprehensive strategic partnerships and implemented the vision of building a community with a shared future at the bilateral level with all five Central Asian countries. Last year, the leaders of the six countries made a historic choice to build a China-Central Asia community with a shared future.

Over the past decade, China and the Central Asian countries have taken the lead in jointly building the Belt and Road and achieved fruitful outcomes in infrastructure, trade, finance, people-to-people exchanges and other fields, promoting economic development and improving people's well-being in these countries.

In an increasingly uncertain world, the need to enhance unity and cooperation has become ever more important. China's efforts to boost ties with Central Asia are not driven by geopolitical interests. The China-Central Asia cooperation does not target any third party, nor does it seek to compete with other mechanisms. Instead, the six countries focus on working together to pursue common development, common affluence, and common prosperity to embrace a brighter future.

The world needs a Central Asia that is stable, prosperous, harmonious, and interconnected. The joint efforts of the six countries to fight terrorism, separatism and extremism, and promote peace and reconstruction in Afghanistan as well as their independent efforts to safeguard regional security are part of the endeavors for world peace and stability. A dynamic and prospering Central Asia will help people in the region achieve their aspiration for a better life and lend strong impetus to global economic recovery.