Oriented on making people closer

Officials and businessmen from China and Central Asian countries expressed optimism about the future of industrial and commercial cooperation between the two sides. In their opinion, the establishment of the PRC-CA Business Council in Xi'an on Friday portends more mutually beneficial results in trade, agriculture, energy and other areas.

Speaking at the inauguration ceremony of the Council, Chinese Vice Premier He Lifeng said that China and the Central Asian countries set an example of a new type of international relations, which over the years have become a symbol of deep strategic mutual trust, expanded business cooperation and growing friendship.

"The Business Council, acting as a specialized platform for business dialogues within the framework of the China-Central Asia mechanism, will pave the way and provide an institutional guarantee for deepening industrial and trade cooperation in the region," he said, urging to maintain the entrepreneurial spirit and lead bold projects.

Turkmenistan's trade representative to China Shohrat Batyrov said that industry associations and enterprises will be able to use the new business council to strengthen dialogue and take targeted measures to ensure unhindered trade. "Undoubtedly, it (the business council) will give a new impetus to the development of trade and economic cooperation between the countries and the solution of urgent tasks in this area," the trade attaché said.

According to the Ministry of Commerce of China, the trade turnover between China and five Central Asian countries: Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan in 2022 increased by about 40% compared to 2021, reaching a record high of $ 70.2 billion.

ORIENT news

Photo: Xinhua