Beautiful Virgin Islands

Thursday, Jun 05, 2025

China's Xi Invites Ex Soviet Republics Of Central Asia For Summit

China's Xi Invites Ex Soviet Republics Of Central Asia For Summit

The Chinese president extended the offer to the "first China-Central Asia summit", scheduled for May, in similar telegrammes sent on Monday and Tuesday to the leaders of Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan and Uzbekistan.
China's Xi Jinping this week invited the leaders of the ex-Soviet republics of Central Asia to a first joint summit in China, a bid to boost Beijing's influence in Russia's backyard.

The Chinese president extended the offer to the "first China-Central Asia summit", scheduled for May, in similar telegrams sent on Monday and Tuesday to the leaders of Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan and Uzbekistan and made public by the recipients.

Reclusive Turkmenistan, the top supplier of gas to China, has not yet announced whether it has been invited to the gathering.

The authoritarian republics of Central Asia were part of the Soviet Union and have been dominated by Moscow since the mid-19th century.

But Russia's influence is being challenged, increasingly since the invasion of Ukraine.

Beijing is courting Moscow's traditional allies in the region, both politically and economically -- the latter via projects such as the mammoth road, rail and port infrastructure scheme designed as a modern iteration of the Silk Road through Central Asia and beyond.

Turkey and Western powers are also seeking to bolster their influence in the strategically located mineral-rich region.

In addition to Xi, Russian President Vladimir Putin and Turkish counterpart Recep Tayyip Erdogan, chief European Union diplomat Charles Michel and US Secretary of State Antony Blinken have all beaten a path to Central Asian doors in recent months.

Xi also hosted an online regional summit in January 2022 to celebrate the 30th anniversary of Sino-Central Asian diplomatic relations since the collapse of the Soviet Union.

In the four invitations sent out on Monday and Tuesday to mark Nowruz, the Persian New Year, which is celebrated in the region, Xi underlined the strengthening ties between China and the Central Asian regimes.

The missive published by the official Tajik news agency Khovar quotes Xi as saying he is "eager to discuss a grand plan to develop relations" between his country and the region.

However, Beijing's increasing influence is not universally welcomed.

Sections of the population in Kyrgyzstan and Kazakhstan, which along with Tajikistan have borders with China, have voiced a degree of concern and opposition. All have Muslim majorities.

These concerns relate particularly to land acquisition by China, government debt owed to Beijing and the latter's brutal treatment of its Muslim Uyghur minority, which is also present in Central Asia.
Newsletter

Related Articles

Beautiful Virgin Islands
0:00
0:00
Close
Global News Roundup: From Ukraine's strategic military strikes and Russia's demands and Tensions Escalate in Ukraine, to serious legal issues faced by Britons in Bali and Trump's media criticism, the latest developments highlight a turbulent landscape
Majority of French Voters View Macron's Presidency as a Failure
Hungary Partners with China to Boost Electric Vehicle Production
‘Vibe Coding’ Emerges as the New DIY Trend
AI Pioneer Yoshua Bengio Warns Models Can Deceive Users
Big Four Firms Rush to Create AI Auditing Systems
Musk’s xAI Pursues $113 Billion Valuation in New Share Sale
Walmart Increases Revenue Despite Shrinking Workforce
Hims & Hers Plans UK and EU Launch of Replica Obesity Drugs
Toyota to Acquire Supplier in $33 Billion Buyout
U.S. Reduces Military Presence in Syria
Trump Demands Iran End All Uranium Enrichment in Nuclear Talks
China Accuses US of Violating Trade Truce
Panama Port Owner Balances US-China Pressures
France Implements Nationwide Outdoor Smoking Ban to Protect Children
German Chancellor Merz Keeps Putin Guessing on Missile Strategy
Mandelson Criticizes UK's 'Fetish' for Abandoning EU Regulations
British Fishing Boat Owner Fined €30,000 by French Authorities
Dutch government falls as far-right leader Wilders quits coalition
Harvard Urges US to Unfreeze Funds for Public Health Research
Businessman Mauled by Lion at Luxury Namibian Lodge
Researchers Consider New Destinations Beyond the U.S.
53-Year-Old Doctor Claims Biological Age of 23
Trump Struggles to Secure Trade Deals With China and Europe
Russia to Return 6,000 Corpses Under Ukraine Prisoner Swap Deal
Microsoft Lays Off Hundreds More Amid Restructuring
Harvey Weinstein’s Publicist Embraces Notoriety
Macron and Meloni Seek Unity Despite Tensions
Trump Administration Accused of Obstructing Deportation Cases
Newark Mayor Sues Over Arrest at Immigration Facility
Center-Left Candidate Projected to Win South Korean Presidency
Trump’s Tariffs Predicted to Stall Global Economic Growth
South Korea’s President-Elect Expected to Take Softer Line on Trump and North Korea
Trump’s China Strategy Remains a Geopolitical Puzzle
Ukraine Executes Long-Range Drone Strikes on Russian Airbases
Conservative Karol Nawrocki wins Poland’s presidential election
Study Identifies Potential Radicalization Risk Among Over One Million Muslims in Germany
Good news: Annalena Baerbock Elected President of the UN General Assembly
Apple Appeals EU Law Over User Data Sharing Requirements
South Africa: "First Black Bank" Collapses after Being Looted by Owners
Poland will now withdraw from the EU migration pact after pro-Trump nationalist wins Election
"That's Disgusting, Don’t Say It Again": The Trump Joke That Made the President Boil
Trump Cancels NASA Nominee Over Democratic Donations
Paris Saint-Germain's Greatest Triumph Is Football’s Lowest Point
OnlyFans for Sale: From Lockdown Lifeline to Eight-Billion-Dollar Empire
Mayor’s Security Officer Implicated | Shocking New Details Emerge in NYC Kidnapping Case
Hegseth Warns of Potential Chinese Military Action Against Taiwan
OPEC+ Agrees to Increase Oil Output for Third Consecutive Month
Jamie Dimon Warns U.S. Bond Market Faces Pressure from Rising Debt
Turkey Detains Istanbul Officials Amid Anti-Corruption Crackdown
×