Tashkent, Uzbekistan (UzDaily.uz) – On 11 October, a round table was held at the International Institute of Central Asia (MICA) on the topic “One Belt and One Road: New Opportunities for the Countries of Central Asia,” organized jointly with the Chinese Embassy in Uzbekistan.

The event was attended by the heads of diplomatic missions of the PRC and Central Asian countries, as well as more than 20 representatives of academic and analytical structures.

In particular, the Chinese side was represented by the Institute for Social Development of Europe and Asia, the Belt and Road Center at the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences, and the Chinese Academy of International Affairs.

Acting Director of MICA F. Kadirov noted that Central Asia, for centuries being the geographical center and main route of the legendary Silk Road, connected trade relations throughout Eurasia, becoming a strategically important hub trading region.

Chinese Ambassador to Uzbekistan Yu Jun said that the BRI initiative has become a win-win cooperation project and an international public good that promotes sustainable development.

According to the Ambassador of Kazakhstan to Uzbekistan B. Atamkulov, the Silk Road “economic belt” project is important in strengthening the economic ties of Central Asia with the outside world, and also acts as a mechanism for accelerating the integration process for the states of the region.

The Ambassador of Tajikistan to Uzbekistan A. Rakhmonzoda noted that cooperation within the framework of the One Belt One Road initiatives demonstrates the high results of multifaceted cooperation between states.

The head of the Center for Legal and Political Research of the National Research Institute of Social Sciences, A. Arabaeva (Kyrgyzstan), believes that each country participating in the construction of the BRI automatically becomes the “author and implementer” of projects, which increases the legitimacy of the Initiative itself.

Director of the Institute for Social Development of Europe and Asia Li Yongquan believes that the Central Asian region occupies an “extremely important place” in China’s foreign policy.

This is also evidenced by the fact, the expert noted, that even the BRI initiative itself was first put forward by Chinese President Xi Jinping in this region - during his visit to Astana on 2 October 2013.

Chen Yurong, chief researcher at the Chinese Academy of International Affairs, stressed that the BRI is based on the idea of globalization of the economy and informatization of society, as well as the desire to promote the “spirit of open regional cooperation” and a free world trade system that meets the interests of the whole world.

According to Xu Polin, Deputy Director of the Belt and Road Center at the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences, Central Asia’s participation in the construction of the Belt and Road Initiative is a clear example of successful economic cooperation.

Director of KazISS E. Tukumov also supported this thesis, adding that the main beneficiaries of the BRI are, first of all, China and the countries of Central Asia.

Head of the Department of European and American Studies at KazISS B. Sadykov points out that the joint implementation of the “mega-project of the 21st century,” especially in the field of construction of interconnected transport infrastructure, takes the region out of transport isolation, transforming it into a key hub for the whole of Eurasia.

During the round table, an exchange of views also took place on current issues of strengthening interconnectedness between the parties within the framework of the BRI project. Based on the results of the event, the most promising proposals and initiatives were identified that will be aimed at its further development.