China, Central Asia seek more cooperation

China and Central Asian countries signed 35 cooperation agreements involving trade, agriculture and sister cities worth 11.2 billion yuan ($1.6 billion) at the 11th China-Central Asia Cooperation Forum, which concluded on Sunday in Yinchuan in Northwest China's Ningxia Hui autonomous region.

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

Over the past 10 years, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan have played an active role in the China-proposed Belt and Road Initiative, turning Central Asia into a demonstration zone for Belt and Road cooperation.