China, Central Asia seek more cooperation

China and Central Asian countries are exploring more areas in cooperation signing 35 agreements with a total worth of 11.2 billion yuan ($1.57 billion) at the 11th China-Central Asia Cooperation Forum, which was concluded on Sunday in Yinchuan, Ningxia Hui autonomous region.

The projects cover trade, agriculture and sister city cooperation. The forum also announced the Yinchuan Initiative, calling for more exchanges and cooperation in green development, smart agriculture, e-commerce, and people-to-people exchange.

The Central Asia region comprises Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan. In the past 10 years, these five countries have taken an active role in the Belt and Road Initiative, turning Central Asia into a demonstration zone for Belt and Road cooperation.