Djoomart Otorbaev Photo: RDCY

The second Central Asia-China summit is set to open on Tuesday in Astana, Kazakhstan. In an exclusive interview with the Global Times, Djoomart Otorbaev, former prime minister of Kyrgyzstan, said the cooperation between China and Central Asian countries is based on equality and mutual benefits, aiming to foster a win-win partnership. The Central Asian countries, instead of being caught up in political conspiracies, prioritize friendship and open economic relations, Otorbaev said. 

China has been rapidly advancing in both economic and social development, and has quickly become the world's second-largest economy. As a neighbor to China, it is logical and wise for us to strengthen our cooperation, Otorbaev said, noting that the five Central Asian countries have maintained strong bilateral ties with China, and the countries are now engaging with China as a joint platform. "I believe the second summit is essential for us to make another important, critical and ambitious step for our cooperation."

One of the most significant projects is the China-Kyrgyzstan-Uzbekistan railway, Otorbaev said, pointing out that this will shorten the route between China and Europe by 900 kilometers. "Even in just two years, we have seen impressive results in our economic cooperation," he said. 

Scheduled to begin construction in 2025, the China-Kyrgyzstan-Uzbekistan railway is expected to create a new shortcut between China and Europe, while enhancing Central Asia's position in the global supply chain, according to the Xinhua News Agency. 

With a designed speed of 120 km per hour, the railway is a key connectivity project between China and Central Asia and is expected to become a new flagship example of cooperation under the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI), according to Xinhua

The China-Kyrgyzstan-Uzbekistan railway is part of a broader effort to connect China with the rest of Asia and Europe, and will help transform Kyrgyzstan and Central Asia from landlocked regions into connected trade hubs, fostering greater regional and international commerce, Otorbaev said. 

While Central Asia is geographically distant from the economic centers of the US and Europe, it is close to China, Otorbaev said. "Our focus is on building strong relationships with our neighbors and fostering good economic cooperation projects. We aim to work together to create mutually beneficial deals," he added. 

"In this context, we look forward to fostering harmonious cooperation and collaboration across the Eurasian continent," Otorbaev said.

As Central Asian countries are landlocked, Otorbaev noted that this geographic reality shapes their mindset and foreign policy. "The peculiarity of being landlocked is that we must be friendly with all of our neighbors."

That's why we don't get caught up in political conspiracies or ideologies. We prioritize friendship and open economic relations with countries around the world, Otorbaev said. "We already enjoy strong economic ties with Russia—Russia is currently our second-largest trading partner after China. And we see no reason why this balanced approach shouldn't continue."

The stable strategic partnership between China and Russia also creates a positive environment for our own cooperation with both, Otorbaev noted. 

"We're not building friendships to oppose anyone. Our goal is simple: peaceful and mutually beneficial relations with all partners. That's the path we've chosen, and it's the one we will continue to follow for many years to come," he said.