China wrapped up its latest engagement effort in Central Asia on Tuesday with a 1.5 billion (US$209 million) yuan pledge towards livelihood and development projects in the region.
“China is willing to provide 1.5 billion yuan in grant assistance to Central Asian countries this year to support livelihood and development projects of common concern to each country,” Chinese President Xi Jinping said in his keynote address to the summit in Kazakhstan’s capital Astana.
“Additionally, China will offer 3,000 training opportunities to Central Asian nations over the next two years.”
Xi hailed the signing of the Treaty of Permanent Good-Neighbourliness and Friendly Cooperation as a milestone in relations among the six nations, saying it represented “an innovative endeavour in China’s neighbourhood diplomacy – a contribution for our time that benefits generations to come”.
China has similar treaties with Russia and Pakistan.
