China-Central Asia Summit milestone in strategic partnership development: Kyrgyz expert

BISHKEK, June 17 (Xinhua) -- The China-Central Asia Summit is an important milestone in developing the strategic partnership between China and Central Asian countries, a Kyrgyz expert has said.

The uniqueness of this mechanism is that Central Asia acts as a single political and economic actor in relations with China, Almazbek Akmataliev, former rector of the Academy of Public Administration under the President of Kyrgyzstan, told Xinhua.

"This allows us to jointly address large common investment projects that are important for all Central Asian countries," Akmataliev said.

He said that China and Central Asian countries have entered a new golden 30 years in their relations. "For all the years of independence, the relations of each Central Asian country with China are worthy of respect and emulation."

"Unlike Western financial support, China's assistance is distinguished by sincerity and selflessness," Akmataliev said.

The expert urged the swift implementation of key transnational projects, saying that such programs as the China-Kyrgyzstan-Uzbekistan railway, the North-South Highway and the Central Asia-China Gas Pipeline will improve the well-being of local residents and propel overall economic development in the region.

On the Chinese-Kyrgyz relations, Akmataliev believed the bilateral relations "have reached the level of a genuine strategic partnership."

"Today, relations between our countries serve as an important example of true success, dynamics, sincerity and mutually beneficial cooperation," he said.