China and five Central Asian countries, namely Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan, held a ceremony in the city of Xi'an in Shaanxi Province and launched the secretariat of the China-Central Asian cooperation mechanism on Saturday.

Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi, Kazakhstan's Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs Murat Nurtleu, Kyrgyz Foreign Minister Jeenbek Kulubaev, Tajik Foreign Minister Sirojiddin Muhriddin, Turkmenistan's Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Rashid Meredov, and Uzbekistan's Minister of Foreign Affairs Bakhtiyor Saidov sent their congratulatory letters.

Wang, also a member of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee, commended cooperation between China and the Central Asian countries under the China-Central Asia mechanism which was initiated four years ago.

Wang said the establishment of the secretariat signifies that the consensus reached by the heads of state of China and Central Asian countries has been implemented and demonstrates to the international community the firm determination of the six countries to work together for development and cooperation.

It is believed that with the joint support of all parties, the secretariat will operate smoothly and effectively, and the China-Central Asia mechanism will grow stronger and bring more benefits to the people of the six countries, Wang added.

Foreign ministers of the five Central Asian countries say that parties related have high hopes for the secretariat and will fully support its work. They hoped that the establishment of the secretariat will inject new momentum into the cooperation between Central Asian countries and China.

Sun Weidong, China's vice foreign minister, said that the primary responsibility of the secretariat is to promote the implementation of the consensus and outcomes reached by the heads of state of the six countries, make preparations for the China-Central Asia Summit, and serve the foreign ministers' meeting and the cooperation mechanism in key areas.

It is hoped that the secretariat will actively perform its duties, earnestly ensure its services, and be a "servant" of the China-Central Asia Mechanism, he added.

Wu Yingqin, executive director of the secretariat, said that the secretariat will work actively to step up rules and regulations, fully implement the outcomes of the China-Central Asia Summit and the important consensus of the heads of state, promote cooperation in key areas, and push for new achievements in China-Central Asia cooperation.

(Cover: A view of Xi'an in Shaanxi Province, China, March 28, 2024. /CFP)