17 Sep, 2013

Chinese President’s trip boosts economic ties with Silk Road states

=========

Xinhua, September 15, 2013 – Chinese President Xi Jinping’s just-concluded trip to four Central Asian nations has contributed to upgrading relations between China and these countries on a full scale, said analysts and media organizations in various countries.

Xi paid state visits to Turkmenistan, Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan and Kyrgyzstan from Sept. 3 to 13, and attended a summit of the Group of 20 (G20) in St. Petersburg, Russia, and a summit of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) in Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan.

Xi’s participation in the two summits is of great significance in lifting China’s position in global economic governance and promoting the sound and stable development of the SCO, said analysts.

REGIONAL COOPERATION

An article published on Rossiyskaya Gazeta said the 12-year-old SCO has been faithful to its original intention of safeguarding regional security and fighting the “three evil forces” of terrorism, separatism and extremism. Meanwhile, the organization provided a wider space for pragmatic cooperation among members states, promoted trade and economic development as well as cooperation in legislation, technology, culture and humanities, the report said.

The SCO has various observers and dialogue partners such as Mongolia, Iran, India and Pakistan. The organization represents nearly half of the global population, it said.

Another Russian newspaper Vzglyad said the SCO, which groups Russia, China and four Central Asian countries, has an increasingly important role in regional and international politics. The revitalization of these countries will help better safeguard peace and promote civility and common prosperity.

Sergi Ivanovich, an official at the Chamber of Commerce and Industry of Russia, said Xi’s proposal to establish an SCO development bank and an SCO special account is very necessary as they would provide a good financing platform from which SCO member states can get aid when they meet natural disasters and financial crisis.

He saw the bank as an effective mechanism to ensure economic development and national security of SCO member countries.

Turkish political scientist Ramiz Meshedihasanli echoed Ivanovich’s viewpoint, saying Xi’s proposal was of practical significance as it is imperative to establish an effective mechanism of financing for large multilateral cooperative projects. He also believed that SCO cooperation should go beyond trade.

Kubanychbek Tabaldiyev, director of Kyrgyzstan’s National Information Agency Kabar, noted that Xi stressed pragmatic cooperation among SCO member states in transportation, energy and agriculture. As the regional bloc covers a vast area, conducting cooperation in the above-mentioned areas will improve SCO members’ ability to deal with crises, Tabaldiyev said.

Akram Zaki, former Pakistani ambassador to China, said: “It (SCO) was a child in the start of the century but after one decade now we may call it a young mechanism with a promising prospect to boost common security and development in the Eurasia region.”

“China has pushed economic development and trade as the new priorities for the SCO. China certainly has deployed aid, investment, and infrastructure projects that further its economic expansion through the SCO. At the forum of SCO, China presents a model of development,” he said.

GLOBAL GOVERNANCE

At the G20 summit, Xi called on major countries to adopt responsible macroeconomic policies and improve global economic governance to maintain and promote the openness of the world economy.

Kirill Dmitriev, CEO of the Russian Direct Investment Fund, said China has followed a principle of balance and win-win results in its cooperation with its partners. Xi’s proposal at the G20 summit was constructive and has been praised by related parties, he said.

Macharia Munene, a lecturer on International Relations at the Nairobi-based United States International University, noted that Xi called for efforts to maintain a free, open and non-discriminatory multilateral trade system, to improve global investment rules, and to allocate resources more efficiently by encouraging rational flow of capital. China’s stance is of great significance in solving issues facing developing countries, said Munene.

Hailing Xi’s remarks as important and comforting, Mohammed Saqib, secretary general of India-China Economic and Cultural Council, said Xi’s suggestion is essential for the G20 to boost trade and investment as well as financial security in the region.

“I think the G20 is a very important platform, lacking leadership. China should be more proactive in the G20,” he added.

Evaldo Alves, a professor with the Brazilian Getulio Vargas Foundation, said China and other BRICS countries demanded at the G20 summit that developed countries shoulder faithfully their responsibilities for the global economy. The relevant requirements of emerging economies were reflected in the final statement of the summit, he noted.

GOOD NEIGHBORLY RELATIONS

Xi’s visits opened a new chapter in China’s relations with the four Central Asian countries. His proposal to build a Silk Road economic belt was welcomed by relevant countries.

The Kazakhstanskaya Pravda newspaper commented that cooperation between Kazakhstan and China is comprehensive and balanced, and that the meeting between the two countries’ leaders marked a milestone for cooperation.

It quoted Serik Sultangali, general director of KazTransGas company, as saying that the China-Kazakhstan gas pipeline is a link in the great Silk Road economic belt and that the pipeline will bring pragmatic benefits for his country.

Jakov Berger, chief researcher of the Far East Institute of the Russian Academy of Science, said Xi’s visits set a positive tone for China’s relationships with the four nations and strengthened cooperation in the fight against the “three evil forces.”

The “three evil forces” pose threat to all countries. Therefore, Xi’s visits have strengthened security cooperation between China and Central Asia countries, which will boost security and stability in the region, Berger added.

Xi’s visit to Kyrgyzstan showed that the new Chinese leadership will continue to develop mutually beneficial cooperation with Kyrgyzstan under the new situation, said Tabaldiyev, director of Kyrgyzstan’s National Information Agency Kabar. The visit reassured that bilateral trade and economic relations will be promoted to a new level, he added.

Uzbekistan’s official news agency commented that both Uzbekistan and China cherish political, economic and cultural cooperation, and have common ideas on various international and regional affairs, including the fight against the “three evil forces.”

The Neutral Turkmenistan Newspaper said the meeting between the two countries’ leaders helped consolidate the achievements of cooperation and lifted bilateral ties to a new height. Turkmenistan is proud of its relationship with China, and sees the ties as an important factor to guarantee stability and development in Eurasia, it said.

French daily Le Figaro spoke highly of Xi’s idea of Silk Road economic belt. Infrastructure construction in the region may create a market that covers 3 billion people, it said.