In an effort to strengthen communication between China and Central Asian countries and promote practical cooperation among member units of the China-Central Asia Think Tank Alliance, NWU hosted the 10th anniversary of the "Belt and Road" initiative and the first China-Central Asia Think Tank Alliance joint meeting on September 20th. The event brought together experts from various think tanks, including the Kazakhstan Institute for Strategic Studies under the President of Kazakhstan, the Foreign Policy Studies Institute of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Kazakhstan, Astana International University in Kazakhstan, the Strategic Studies Institute of the President of Kyrgyzstan, Kyrgyz National University, the Tajikistan Academy of Sciences, Uzbekistan Silk Road Consulting Company, and the Institute of Russian, Eastern European, Central Asian Studies Chinese Academy of Social Sciences. Additionally, officials and representatives from NWU attended the event.
In his welcoming address, Wu Zhenlei expressed his gratitude to the leaders, experts, and scholars. He emphasized NWU’s commitment to the development philosophy of “NWU Go Global Strategy, Create win-win cooperation.” Leveraging NWU disciplinary strengths, we have established the “Belt and Road” University Think Tank Alliance and the China-Central Asia Think Tank Alliance. Furthermore, NWU has established regional research centers for Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, Kyrgyzstan, and Tajikistan. NWU has fostered friendly cooperative relationships with 26 universities and multiple research institutions in Central Asian countries. The development and growth of the “Belt and Road” University Think Tank Alliance and the China-Central Asia Think Tank Alliance have significantly contributed to our university’s formation of a new international exchange and cooperation framework.
Vladimir Imamovich Norov, former Foreign Minister of Uzbekistan, former Secretary-General of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization, and head of the Uzbekistan Silk Road Consulting Company, highlighted the significance of holding this meeting in Xi’an. The China-Central Asian Summit held in Xi'an in May of this year created new opportunities for communication between Central Asian countries and China in this city. He emphasized the wealth of historical information related to Central Asia in Chinese literature and expressed hope that the two countries could collaborate on research topics and become mutually supportive partners.
Wu Zhenlei and the officials of Institute of Central Asia Studies and Institute of Silk Road Studies of NWU presented commemorative gifts and the Blue Book of Kazakhstan to the foreign experts in attendance.
