In January 2017, China has met the 25th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations with Uzbekistan, Kazakhstan, Tajikistan, Kyrgyz and Turkmenistan consequently. In the past 25 years, the trade and economic cooperation between China and Central Asian countries has grown rapidly and showed a solid basis and sound prospect.

In 2016, the trade and economic cooperation between China and five central Asian countries showed many highlights mainly in the following aspects:

1. Bilateral trade was steady in general. China has become the largest trading partner of Kyrgyz and Turkmenistan and the second largest trading partner of Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan and Tajikistan.

2.New progress has been made in capacity and economic and technological cooperation. Uzbekistan-Pap-Angren Railway undertaken by a Chinese enterprise was put into use. President Xi Jinping pointed out that it is a major fruit of the “Belt and Road” initiative jointly built by China and Uzbekistan and a new belt to connect the friendship of the peoples of both sides and the bilateral cooperation. The oil refineries and mineral projects that Chinese enterprises invested in Kyrgyz get on well. Bishkek Thermal Power Plant will be completed in advance hopefully. Tajikistan President has attended ribbon-cutting ceremonies for 9 times and Tajikistan’s social and economic development conditions have greatly improved projects like railway and tunnel, thermal power plant, aluminium smelter's technology improving project, cement plant and oil refinery. Besides, we also made positive progress in projects of Astana light metro, auto resembling and polypropylene that Chinese business invested in Kazakhstan.

3. Connectivity cooperation on starts a new chapter. In January-November, the number of “CR Express” that went through central Asian countries increased 150% year on year, the first freight train that ran through China-Kazakhstan-Turkmenistan-Iran-Teheran was successfully launched and “Western China-Western Europe” international corridor project was accelerated, starting a new chapter of regional connectivity.

4. Financial cooperation is constantly deepened. Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank, Silk Road Fund and China-Eurasia Economic Cooperation Fund are conducting project selection; Kazakhstan has incorporated RMB into its list of reserve currency and China and Kazakhstan are conducting cooperation in building Astana International Financial Center and Commodity Exchange; China-Kazakhstan Capacity Cooperation Fund was officially founded, and financial and insurance institutions of both sides have signed agreements on financing and cooperation, providing support for the implementation of major projects.

In 2017, the Ministry of Commerce will push forward to promote trade and economic cooperation with central Asian region, genuinely implement the economic consensus reached by leaders of both sides, strengthen policy docking, information exchange and project coordination with central Asian countries, jointly build the “Belt and Road”, deepen capacity cooperation, promote small and medium-sized enterprises cooperation and strive for more early harvests.