“In the West, they say there are no eternal friends, only permanent interests. But we in China believe that friends should be permanent and we should pursue common interests.”
At a meeting with the public in the city of Shymkent on April 11, 2025, President of Kazakhstan Kassym-Jomart Tokayev noted that today the world is facing a difficult situation caused by plans to unleash a global trade war. The world is moving toward a policy of harsh tariff confrontation. This is not just about another recession, but about a possible fundamental crisis affecting the foundations of the world economy with severe consequences for the entire system of international relations.
What should Kazakhstan do in this situation? According to President Tokayev, Kazakhstan, located at the crossroads of key trade routes connecting East and West, North and South, must pay special attention to strengthening comprehensive, mutually beneficial, and friendly cooperation with all neighboring states.
In the context of the global domination policy of U.S. President Donald Trump, characterized by the slogan “America First” and aimed at suppressing any competitors, the global initiatives of the People’s Republic of China, directed at building a community of shared future for mankind, gain special significance.
China first voiced the idea of building a community of shared future for mankind 12 years ago, on March 23, 2013. Year after year, the people of our planet are turning into a community with a shared future.”
Thus, China’s concept evolved from a theoretical idea into a practical foreign policy strategy. The essence of this strategy can be formulated as follows: true multipolarity in the world -- without blocs, hegemons, or “clubs of the chosen.”
Today, China has formed two key clusters for creating a community of shared future - the Indochina Peninsula and in Central Asia.
The relations between China and the Central Asian countries are based on deep historical roots. Speaking at the China-Central Asia Summit (Xi’an, May 19, 2023), President Xi Jinping noted that the world needs a stable, prosperous, harmonious, and interconnected Central Asia. According to Xi Jinping, in order to form a community of shared future between China and Central Asia, four key directions must be followed: 1) mutual assistance and support; 2) promoting joint development; 3) ensuring common security; 4) strengthening centuries-old friendship between the people of China and Central Asia.
The declaration adopted at the end of the Xi’an Summit confirmed that the development of fruitful and multifaceted cooperation between the Central Asian states and China corresponds to the core interests of all countries and their people. Summit participants confirmed their aspiration to jointly create a more tight-knit Community of shared future between Central Asia and China.
They also expressed readiness to actively engage in China’s Global Development Initiative, Global Security Initiative, and Global Civilization Initiative, noting their relevance for sustainable development, global peace and security, and the advancement of human civilization.
In 2023, Kazakhstan and China established a mutual visa-free regime, which had a positive impact on expanding bilateral trade cooperation and also contributed to cultural and humanitarian rapprochement between our two nations.
New developments confirming the deepened cooperation between Central Asian countries and China include the launch of the first cargo train on the Beijing-Central Asia route, which departed in March of this year. On April 8, a freight train loaded with equipment, medicines, bicycle parts, and other goods departed from the Fangshan district of Beijing for Tashkent, Uzbekistan, marking the start of regular railway operations on this route. The train carried 1,100 tons of cargo worth 28 million yuan and passed through the Khorgos border crossing between China and Kazakhstan, arriving in Tashkent 10 days later. According to the transport company, the Beijing-Central Asia railway route will operate weekly.
On April 7, two refrigerated trucks with TIR (Transports Internationaux Routiers) markings, loaded with 20 tons of ice cream produced in Liaoning province, China, departed from Shenyang’s international road transport hub. This batch exited China through the Bakty checkpoint in Tacheng County, Xinjiang, passed through Kazakhstan, and arrived in Tashkent. The trip is expected to take 8-10 days. This marked the official launch of the first cross-border road transport route China-Kazakhstan-Uzbekistan under the TIR system from Shenyang.
As the era of globalization comes to an end and the world adapts to a new, evolving reality, the importance of building the Community of Shared Future between Central Asia and China increases dramatically. The success of this regional endeavor will significantly influence the larger goal of forming a Community of Shared Future for Mankind.
Conclusions and Proposals
In recent years, it has been clearly demonstrated that Central Asian countries and China are capable of mutually beneficial cooperation across many fields, from economy and trade to education, culture, and tourism.
Currently, there are many opinions about the potential impact of the policies of the 47th U.S. President Donald Trump on Central Asian countries. I rely on this Eastern proverb: “If a crocodile ate your enemy, it does not mean he has become your friend.” Therefore, vigilance should be maintained regarding U.S. foreign policy.
The U.S. will continue its policy of containing China. In response, China is building the land-based component of the mega-project “Belt and Road Initiative” (Silk Road Economic Belt). The U.S., in turn, is likely to continue forming anti-China coalitions in the Asia-Pacific region (AUKUS, QUAD, etc.). It is not excluded that the ultimate goal of such policies is a military blockade of China’s coastline.
Based on this, the U.S. may attempt to disrupt the alignment of the Eurasian Economic Union (EAEU) with the Silk Road Economic Belt, a significant portion of which runs through Kazakhstan. I believe there will be attempts to build a dividing barrier in Central Asia - separating China on one side, and Russia along with the Central Asian countries on the other.
In this situation, Kazakhstan should, as a member of the CSTO, EAEU, SCO, act as a reliable rear for China, and support the integration of the EAEU and the Silk Road Economic Belt. To jointly counter U.S. tariff aggression, cooperation with multilateral organizations such as the SCO, CSTO, CIS, CICA, and others should be enhanced.
Simultaneously, the U.S. will continue trying to convince (with or without USAID) the population of Central Asia of China’s supposed economic expansion in the region. It is no secret that pro-Western political scientists and bloggers are trying to defame and discredit the mutually beneficial cooperation between China and Central Asian countries.
Therefore, it is essential to pay particular attention to information and analytical support for the building of a Community of Shared Future between Central Asia and China. Work must be done more actively and creatively, using concrete examples, to explain the mutually beneficial cooperation based on mutual respect, trust, long-term good-neighborliness, friendship, and equality.
Special attention should be given to studying China’s Global Initiatives, the materials of the 20th Congress of the Communist Party of China, and other Chinese foreign policy documents. Additionally, the modernization experience of China and its applicability to Kazakhstan and other Central Asian countries deserves thorough study.
In this regard, it is advisable to regularly hold scientific-practical conferences, round tables, and seminars involving leading scholars, experts, and respected public figures from China and Central Asia. The goal should be to analyze the current cooperation situation and develop practical recommendations for policymakers, as well as new creative approaches for public awareness campaigns. It is desirable that the outcomes of these events be published regularly in both print and online media.
This educational work is especially important because as U.S. pressure on China increases, there will be attempts to destabilize neighboring countries, including those in Central Asia. Efforts from outside actors to provoke “color revolutions”, involving terrorists, religious extremists (including ISIS “sleeper cells”), and criminal syndicates, are likely to increase.
Auther: Bulat Sultanov, Chairman of the Board of the "Belt and Road" Experts Club of the Republic of Kazakhstan
Source: Speech at the International Forum “Chinese Modernization and the China–Central Asia Community with a Shared Future”
