Wang Yi Talks about the Outcomes and Consensus of the Third China+Central Asia Foreign Ministers' Meeting

On June 8, 2022 local time, State Councilor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi attended the third China+Central Asia (C+C5) Foreign Ministers' Meeting in Nur-Sultan. After the meeting, Wang Yi and Kazakh Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Mukhtar Tileuberdi jointly met the press.

Wang Yi said that the most important task of this meeting is to implement the consensus reached at the Virtual Summit to Commemorate the 30th Anniversary of Diplomatic Relations between China and Central Asian Countries. The most important outcome is the unanimous agreement to establish the heads of state meeting mechanism of China+Central Asia (C+C5). The meeting also adopted four outcome documents, including the Joint Statement on China+Central Asia (C+C5) Foreign Ministers' Meeting, the Roadmap for the Implementation of the Consensus Reached at the Virtual Summit between China and Central Asian Countries, the Initiative on Deepening China+Central Asia (C+C5) Connectivity Cooperation, and the Data Security Cooperation Initiative of China+Central Asia (C+C5).

Wang Yi summarized the ten-point consensus reached at the meeting:

The first is to uphold the principle of mutual respect, good-neighborliness and friendship, solidarity in trying times, mutual benefit and win-win results, and commit to building an autonomous, peaceful, prosperous and cooperative Central Asia.

The second is to continue to build high-quality Belt and Road cooperation, expand all-round cooperation, explore ways to promote financial cooperation, and further expand the local currency settlement scale.

The third is to deepen the cooperation of connectivity, ensure the safe and stable operation of the China-Europe freight train, promote customs clearance facilitation, improve the "green lanes" for cargo, and accelerate the resumption of flights to ensure the complete industry chain and the continuous supply chain.

The fourth is to maintain security in traditional and non-traditional areas in a coordinated manner, cooperate to fight the three forces of terrorism, separatism and extremism, and ensure food security.

The fifth is to continue to work together to fight the pandemic, actively carry out cooperation in vaccine and drug research and development, establish the China-Central Asia health industry alliance, and set up a Chinese traditional medicine center in Central Asia.

The sixth is to coordinate positions on the situation in Afghanistan in a timely manner, promote peaceful reconstruction in Afghanistan, support Uzbekistan in hosting the fourth Foreign Ministers' Meeting Among the Neighboring Countries of Afghanistan and the High-level International Conference on Afghanistan Issue, and maintain regional security and stability.

The seventh is to deepen cooperation in education, science and technology, arts, sports, tourism, poverty reduction and other areas, and promote work on the "One Country, One Workshop" and the mutual establishment of cultural centers.

The eighth is to promote green and sustainable development, share experience and technology in environmental protection, and build a beautiful home featuring harmonious coexistence between man and nature.

The ninth is to continue to support each other on issues related to each other's core interests, jointly implement the Global Security Initiative and the Global Development Initiative, and make contributions to global governance.

The tenth is to continue to improve the C+C5 cooperation mechanism, actively carry out exchanges and dialogues in the fields of political parties, economy and trade, investment, think tanks and at the sub-national levels, and fully release the cooperation potential among the six countries.

Wang Yi stressed that guided by the consensus reached between President Xi Jinping and the heads of the five Central Asian countries, China will continuously deepen political mutual trust and mutually beneficial cooperation with its Central Asian partners to jointly build an even closer China-Central Asia community with a shared future.