Launch of Central Asia–China Secretariat

The opening ceremony of the Central Asia–China Secretariat on March 30th in Xi’an in China’s Shaanxi province was attended by China’s Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs Sun Weidong, Kazakhstan’s Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs Alibek Bakaev, and ambassadors of five Central Asian countries to China. The establishment the Central Asia–China Secretariat, described by Deputy Minister Bakaev as a significant factor in regional politics, was mooted at the first summit of Central Asian countries and China last year following the adoption with the Xi’an Declaration. In his congratulatory address, Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi commended existing cooperation between the participants under the China-Central Asia mechanism, initiated four years ago, and stated that the establishment of the Secretariat demonstrates globally, the staunch determination of China and all five Central Asian countries to further collaboration on mutually beneficial developments. According to Sun Weidong, China's deputy foreign minister, the key responsibility of the Secretariat is serving the cooperation mechanism in key areas and to prepare for the next China-Central Asia summit.