SCO Secretariat participates in 4th China-Central Asia Cooperation Forum in Jinan

On 13 May 2019, Jinan (Shandong province, China) was the venue of the 4th China-Central Asia Cooperation Forum entitled "Regional cooperation dialogue: Sectoral, trade and economic cooperation within the Belt and Road initiative.

The forum was organised by the China-Central Asia Friendship Association and the Jinan People's Association for Friendship with Foreign Countries.

The event consisted of an opening ceremony, a plenary meeting, several panel discussions, including on education and youth, media exchanges, the economy of Jinan and Central Asia, as well as a reception.

During the opening ceremony, SCO Secretariat Counsellor, Muhammad Jaffar, read out the message of greetings from SCO Secretary-General Vladimir Norov for the forum participants.

In his address, SCO Secretary-General Vladimir Norov expressed his appreciation of the forum as a platform for an extensive exchange of opinions on the matters of interest not only for China and Central Asian countries but for all the SCO member states.

The address also stated that the Belt and Road, a strategic initiative devised by the President of the People's Republic of China, Mr Xi Jinping, became a new stage in further progressive socioeconomic development not only for China but for the entire region. The strategy is based on the principles of collective use of the participants' advantages for the benefit of the countries located along the Silk Road.

The event was also attended by Chen Fengxiang, member of the Standing Committee of China's 13th National People's Congress and Chairman of the China-Central Asia Friendship Association. Mr Chen Fengxiang said that he is certain that the forum is a practical step towards fulfillment of agreements, specifically when it comes to business cooperation.

Rustambek Kurbanov, Chairman of the Committee on Inter-Ethnic Relations and Friendship with Foreign Countries of Uzbekistan's Cabinet of Ministers, commented that the Belt and Road initiative is essential for regional development, strengthening mutual trust, and multilateral cooperation.

"Central Asia is a launch platform for the Belt and Road and a key to participants' active involvement and promotion of its development. At the moment, in the face of actual challenges of protectionism and unilateral approach, China and Central Asia are more vigorously pushing forward political and economic reforms, including political mutual trust, economic and trade cooperation," noted Song Jinwu, member of the Committee of Foreign Affairs of the National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference, Vice President of the Chinese People's Association for Friendship with Foreign Countries and Vice President of the China-Central Asia Friendship Association.

Lei Jie, Chair of the Jinan Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference, briefly spoke about the city's history, its key role in the development of regional economic cooperation and the Belt and Road initiative. "Expanding friendly relations and cooperation with Central Asia is a priority of China's development strategy," stressed Ms Lei Jie.

Those taking part in the forum's plenary session on sectoral development and trade and economic cooperation within the Belt and Road included Deputy Mayor of Jinan Li Zijun, Chairman of the Soglom Avlod Uchun foundation and former deputy prime minister of Uzbekistan Svetlana Inamova, Governor of the Naryn Region of Kyrgyzstan Amanbay Kayipov, senior diplomats from the embassies of Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan in China as well as the heads of regional administrations and representatives of the business communities in China and Central Asian countries.

The participants shared opinions on further intensifying regional cooperation between China and Central Asia and proposed practical steps on consolidating efforts to create a common future for the humankind.

During the forum administrations of interested provinces and regions, friendly organisations, educational institutions, research centres and media outlets signed documents on cooperation and proposed an initiative of jointly building a media alliance within the Belt and Road.