中國習近平公佈在中亞發展的鴻圖大計

Recently Yahoo News on-line reported the following:

China's Xi unveils grand development plan for Central Asia

Fri, May 19, 2023 at 4:12 a.m. GMT+1

By Andrew Hayley

XIAN, China, May 19 (Reuters) - Chinese President Xi Jinping on Friday unveiled a grand plan for Central Asia's development, from building infrastructure to boosting trade, taking on a new leadership role in a region that has traditionally been a Russian sphere of influence.

China is ready to coordinate development strategies with Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan, and promote the modernisation of all, Xi said in an address to a China-Central Asia Summit in northwest China.

"This summit has added new impetus to the development and revitalisation of the six counties, and injected strong positive energy into regional peace and stability," Xi said later at a press conference with his Central Asian counterparts.

"We will jointly foster a new paradigm of deeply complementary and high-level win-win cooperation."

With its engagement, China has put itself at the forefront of the race for political influence and energy assets in the resource-rich region, with Russia distracted by its war in Ukraine and the withdrawal of U.S. forces from Afghanistan diminishing the U.S. presence in the region.

The five former Soviet republics, with a network of trade corridors, offer China alternative routes to transport fuel, food and other commodities in the event of disruptions elsewhere.

The pledges of support and cooperation at the two-day summit will present a contrast to a "negative" image of China invoked at a summit of Group of Seven leaders in Japan from Friday.

China's support for Central Asia also appear to be a counter-weight to U.S. accusations of its coercive diplomacy.

Xi said China and the Central Asian countries should deepen trust and offer "clear and strong support" on core interests such as sovereignty, independence, national dignity and long-term development.

He did not mention Ukraine, which like the Central Asian nations, was part of the Soviet Union.

"China is ready to help Central Asian countries improve their law enforcement, security, and defence capability construction," he said.

TRADE AND INVESTMENT

China would also upgrade bilateral investment agreements and increase cross-border freight volume with the region, Xi said.

It will encourage Chinese-funded businesses in Central Asia to create more jobs, build warehouses, and launch a special train service aimed at promoting tourism, he added.

"To bolster our cooperation and Central Asian development, China will provide Central Asian countries with a total of 26 billion yuan ($3.8 billion) of financing support and grants," Xi said.

Two-way trade between China and Central Asia hit a record $70 billion last year, with Kazakhstan leading with $31 billion, as China seeks deeper links in its quest for greater food and energy security.

Xi said the building of Line D of the China-Central Asia natural gas pipeline should be accelerated.

He also called on China and Central Asia to increase their oil and gas trade, develop energy cooperation across industrial chains, and boost cooperation on new energy and the peaceful use of nuclear energy.

In the longer term, China supports construction of a cross-Caspian Sea international transport corridor, and would strengthen the construction of transport hubs of China-Europe freight train services, Xi said.

Translation

中國西安，5 月 19 日（路透社）- 中國國家主席習近平周五公佈了中亞發展的大計，從建設基礎設施到促進貿易，在這個傳統上屬於俄羅斯勢力範圍的地區承擔新的領導角色 .

習近平在中國西北舉行的中國-中亞峰會上發表講話說, 中國願與哈薩克斯坦、吉爾吉斯斯坦、塔吉克斯坦、土庫曼斯坦和烏茲別克斯坦協調發展戰略，推動各國實現現代化，。

習近平隨後在與中亞同行舉行的新聞發布會上說:“這次峰會為六國發展振興增添了新動力，為地區和平穩定注入強大正能量” 。

“我們將共同打造深度互補、高水平合作共贏的新範式。”

中國通過參與，在這資源豐富地區,已將自己置於在競爭政治影響力和能源資產的最前端，俄羅斯因烏克蘭戰爭而分心, 而美軍從阿富汗撤軍，削弱了美國在該地區的存在 。

這五個前蘇聯共和國擁有貿易走廊網絡，在其他地方發生中斷時，為中國提供了運輸燃料、食品和其他商品的替代路線。

為期兩天的峰會上作出的支持與合作承諾, 使與週五在日本舉行的七國集團領導人峰會上表達出的中國的 “消極的” 形象形成鮮明對比。

中國對中亞的支持似乎也衡制了美國對其脅迫外交的指責。

習近平表示，中國和中亞國家應深化互信，就主權、獨立、民族尊嚴和長遠發展等核心利益給予“明確有力支持”。

他沒有提到烏克蘭，它和中亞國家一樣，曾是蘇聯的一部分。

他說: “中國願幫助中亞國家加強執法、安全和國防能力建設”。

貿易與投資

習近平說，中國還將升級雙邊投資協定，增加與該地區的跨境貨運量。

他補充說，這將鼓勵在中亞的中資企業創造更多就業機會，建立倉庫，並開通旨在促進旅遊業的專列服務。

習近平說: “為了加強我們的合作和中亞的發展，中國將向中亞國家提供總額為 260 億元人民幣（38 億美元）的融資支持和贈款”。

中國與中亞之間的雙向貿易去年達到創紀錄的 700 億美元，其中哈薩克斯坦以 310 億美元居首，因為中國尋求更深入的聯繫以尋求更大的糧食和能源安全。

習近平表示，要加快中國-中亞天然氣管道D線建設。

他還呼籲中國與中亞擴大油氣貿易，發展能源跨產業鏈合作，推進新能源與和平利用核能合作。

習近平說，從長遠看，中國支持建設跨裏海國際運輸走廊，加強中歐列車運輸樞紐建設。

So, China unveils a grand plan for Central Asia's development, from building infrastructure to boosting trade, taking on a new leadership role in a region that has traditionally been a Russian sphere of influence. Probably China seeks deeper links with central Asia countries in order to gain greater food and energy security.