Today in Urumqi, the capital of the Chinese mainland’s Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region, the Tianshan Forum for Central Asia Economic Cooperation kicked off a two-day push to unlock new trade and investment opportunities. 🌐🤝
The event, themed “Unlocking Connectivity and Investment in Central Asia,” is hosted by the Central Asia Regional Economic Cooperation (CAREC) Institute and covers transport 🚚, energy ⚡, and digital connectivity 💻. Running through December 3, it aims to strengthen cross-border ties and power up regional growth.
Chinese Finance Minister Lan Fo’an highlighted that CAREC cooperation has made significant progress since its launch and called for expansion “in scale and depth to benefit people in the member countries.”
CAREC Institute Director Charymuhammet Shallyyev added that the forum serves as a bridge linking policymakers, the private sector, development partners, and researchers to tackle shared challenges. Since opening its Urumqi base in 2015, the institute has completed over 180 studies and trained 2,000+ officials through 150 programs.
Pakistan’s Federal Minister for Planning, Development and Special Initiatives Ahsan Iqbal noted that Central and South Asia are becoming engines of global growth. He praised recent Pakistan–China projects and urged deeper cooperation in industry, people-to-people exchange, agriculture, and technology.
Another highlight: the launch of a new Central Asia fiscal cooperation research center, set up by the CAREC Institute and Xinjiang’s regional finance department.
Central Asia sits at the heart of Eurasia, and trade between China and the region soared to $94.8 billion last year, following the first China–Central Asia Summit in May 2023. Neighboring multiple Central Asian states, Xinjiang is strengthening its role as a core hub along the Belt and Road. ✨
With fresh partnerships and research initiatives, the Tianshan Forum is paving the way for a more connected and prosperous Central Asia. Stay tuned for more updates! 🚀
Reference(s):
China's Xinjiang hosts forum to boost Central Asia links, trade
cgtn.com
