As the second China–Central Asia Summit to be held in Astana, a gathering of experts and policymakers has spotlighted a vision for greater regional cooperation amid rising global protectionism and geopolitical uncertainty. In a special episode of Global South Voices, thought leaders from China, Central Asia, and South Asia discussed how China and Central Asian nations can strengthen connectivity, ensure regional stability, and pursue a greener future.
Ambassador Yerzhan Kistafin Kazakhstan to Pakistan opened the program with an overview of the summit's evolution and strategic importance. As the region transitions from landlocked to "land-linked," the focus is shifting toward making infrastructure projects functional, efficient, and secure.
Javlon Vakhabov, former Ambassador of Uzbekistan to the United States, emphasized the importance of regional security frameworks such as the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) and its Regional Anti-Terrorism Structure (RATS), headquartered in Tashkent. "We are working closely with SCO members to combat terrorism, drug trafficking, and arms smuggling," he noted, underlining the inseparable link between security and sustainable development.
Green development emerged as a central theme throughout the discussion. Professor Odilkhoja Parpiev from the Academy of Sciences of Uzbekistan shared impressive results from agricultural technology trials with Chinese partners. "By using Chinese greenhouse film technology, irrigation water use has been cut by 30 percent, and crop yields increased by up to 40 percent," he said. The Uzbek side is now exploring local nanoparticle production for export. Parpiev called for more investment in localized, affordable innovations tailored to specific climates rather than relying on expensive imports.
Parpiev also spoke of Uzbekistan's leadership in solar research, citing the country’s high-temperature solar furnaces. "We're developing green hydrogen and smart nanomaterials that could revolutionize agriculture and food security," he explained, calling for greater scientific collaboration with China and neighboring countries.
Haroon Sharif, former Minister of State for Investment of Pakistan, echoed the need for practical, multilateral solutions. "Connectivity is only the first step. For it to work, ports must be efficient, secure, and run as multinational joint ventures," he said. He emphasized the need to overcome security perceptions through shared ownership and risk distribution.
Drawing from his experience with the CASA-1000 electricity project, Sharif urged partners to embrace newer, low-cost energy technologies rather than sticking to delayed legacy models. "Let's move beyond bilateral deals. We need regional investment councils, private-sector partnerships, and knowledge exchanges that allow us to grow as a single market," he said, urging the region to "think as one" and leverage shared demographics—700 to 800 million people with a median age under 30.
Professor Li Xiguang from Tsinghua University framed China–Central Asia ties as deeply rooted in shared heritage and geography. He called for a broader integration model encompassing Afghanistan, Pakistan, and China's western provinces. "Greater Central Asia is one civilizational space, linked by the Pamirs and Tianshan mountains," he said.
Li emphasized the importance of people-to-people ties. "I bring students to Central Asia every year. Academic exchanges can build the emotional infrastructure for regional unity," he said. Echoing President Xi Jinping's recent remarks on neighborhood diplomacy, Li outlined China's "five homes" approach—homes of peace, serenity, prosperity, beauty, and friendship—and called it a model of Asian values and mutual respect.
The episode concluded with host Mushahid Hussain Sayed summarizing the common thread across all expert inputs: connectivity must be inclusive, security must be shared, and development must be green. As the summit to be opened in Astana, the dialogue from Global South Voices offered a blueprint for transforming Central Asia from a transit zone into a vibrant center of economic, environmental, and human development.
