BEIJING: China put forward five proposals for deepening China-Central Asia cooperation at the sixth China-Central Asia Foreign Ministers’ Meeting in Almaty, Kazakhstan.
First, be firm in upholding good faith and fostering harmony; second, stick to mutually beneficial cooperation; third, continue to advance institutional development; fourth, adhere to fairness and justice; and fifth, be firm in friendship for generations, said Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi. Wang, also a member of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China Central Committee, said that the United States, acting unilaterally, has imposed arbitrary tariffs on more than 180 countries, infringing upon their legitimate rights and interests. China has stepped forward and taken necessary countermeasures, not only to defend its own legitimate rights and interests, but also to safeguard international rules and order as well as international fairness and justice, he said.
As the world’s second-largest economy and a responsible major country, China will unswervingly advance high-level opening up, seek common development with neighboring countries, share opportunities with the world, shoulder its due international responsibilities, and fulfill its international obligations, said Wang. Murat Nurtleu, deputy prime minister and foreign minister of Kazakhstan, Jeenbek Kulubaev, foreign minister of Kyrgyzstan, Sirojiddin Muhriddin, foreign minister of Tajikistan, Bakhtiyor Saidov, foreign minister of Uzbekistan, and Parahat Durdyev, Turkmenistan’s ambassador to China, also attended the meeting.
The attending foreign ministers from Central Asian countries said that each country is ready to strengthen the alignment between their national development strategies and the Belt and Road Initiative, jointly combat the “three evil forces” of terrorism, extremism and separatism, and fight transnational crime, so as to maintain regional peace and stability.
All sides agreed that China serves as a stabilizing force in a turbulent world and has demonstrated leadership in supporting multilateralism. They also expressed support for international trade rules and their rejection of unilateral protectionist practices. –The Daily Mail-CGTN news exchange item
