Chinese President Xi in Kazakhstan for Central Asia summit
Chinese President Xi Jinping arrived in Kazakhstan on Monday to attend the second China-Central Asia Summit, Beijing's state media reported.
State news agency Xinhua reported at around 12:30 pm Kazakh time (0730 GMT) that the Chinese leader had touched down in the capital Astana.
Images from Chinese state broadcaster CCTV showed Xi's presidential plane gliding along a sun-drenched runway ahead of a welcome from diplomats flanked by military personnel in white and blue uniforms.
He will hold bilateral meetings before the summit on Tuesday, according to Kazakhstan's presidency.
Beijing's foreign ministry said Monday that the meetings 'will jointly outline a new blueprint for future cooperation'.
Kazakh President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev will attend the summit alongside the heads of state of Kyrgyzstan, Uzbekistan, Tajikistan and Turkmenistan.
The trip is Xi's third overseas this year, following visits to Southeast Asia and Russia.
China is in competition with Russia — the former colonial power in Central Asia — for influence in the vast region, which is almost as big as the European Union but with a total population of just 80 million people.
Central Asia is an important strategic target for China in its Belt and Road initiative — which uses huge infrastructure investments as a political and diplomatic lever.
Xi's visit will '(open) up more room for the joint construction of the Belt and Road', Chinese foreign ministry spokesman Guo Jiakun said Monday.
The region is also rich in natural resources, and Chinese investment could facilitate trade with Europe.
The five Central Asian republics have been trying to reduce their dependence on Russia and increase partnerships with other countries.
That move has accelerated since Russia invaded Ukraine in February 2022.
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