China, Central Asia Sign Treaty Cementing Eternal Partnership

At the second China-Central Asia Summit in Astana, Chinese President Xi Jinping and leaders of five Central Asian countries signed a Treaty on Eternal Good Neighbourliness, Friendship and Cooperation, marking a milestone in their relations. Xi emphasized China’s commitment to deepening ties through infrastructure projects under the Belt and Road initiative, including advancing the China-Kyrgyzstan-Uzbekistan railway, and pledged 1.5 billion yuan in grants alongside 3,000 training opportunities to support regional development. Kazakh President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev highlighted the strategic importance of Central Asia as a logistics hub linking Asia and Europe, noting that China accounts for nearly 40% of the region’s foreign trade and stressing the growth in cargo transportation through Central Asia. The summit underscored a shift as Central Asian nations strengthen cooperation with China while loosening ties with Russia amid geopolitical changes. Xi also criticized U.S. tariff policies, framing China’s outreach as promoting multilateralism and cooperation among developing countries. The treaty and economic commitments reflect China's strategic use of diplomacy and investment to expand influence in Central Asia, a region historically within Russia’s sphere.