CGTN Poll: China-Central Asia cooperation brings more stability to the world

As the second China-Central Asia Summit approaches, a global poll released by CGTN shows that the high-level cooperation between China and the five Central Asian countries is a true embodiment of the community with a shared future for mankind, continuously injecting stability into an increasingly turbulent international landscape.

Since the first China-Central Asia Summit, cooperation between China and the five Central Asian countries in various fields has entered the "fast track." According to the survey, 90.4 percent of respondents pointed out that the China-Central Asia Heads of State Meeting mechanism has played an important leading role. 92 percent of respondents believe that by making Central Asia one of the priorities in its neighborhood diplomacy, China has created more opportunities for the Central Asian countries to pursue transformation, development, and greater regional influence. 

As the Eurasian geopolitical landscape rapidly changes, 88.1 percent of respondents said the China-Central Asia community with a shared future is important for strengthening Central Asian countries' strategic independence and stabilizing the region.

According to data from the General Administration of Customs of China, the total trade volume between China and the Central Asian countries reached $94.8 billion in 2024, an increase of $5.4 billion from the previous year and a record high. Chinese home appliances, daily necessities, and new energy vehicles are continuously entering the Central Asian market, while products such as cotton and beef and lamb from Central Asia are becoming part of everyday life for Chinese consumers.

According to the survey, 92.3 percent of respondents stated that amid the headwinds facing economic globalization, the strengthened and diversified economic and trade cooperation between China and the five Central Asian countries can effectively address external uncertainties. 88.5 percent believe that significant progress has been made in areas such as the green economy and digital transformation, with broad prospects for future cooperation. Furthermore, 94.2 percent of respondents believe that collaboration in transportation and logistics networks could become a new highlight in China-Central Asia relations.

In 2013, Chinese President Xi Jinping first proposed jointly building the Silk Road Economic Belt during a visit to Central Asia. Since then, China has seen Central Asian countries as key partners in the Belt and Road Initiative, with strong cooperation in trade, digital economy, and connectivity. 92.4 percent of respondents agree that the Belt and Road Initiative is an important international public good that supports high-level cooperation between China and Central Asia. 

Besides, the security situation in Central Asia is complex and ever-changing. China and Central Asian countries have made significant progress in combating "the three forces" of terrorism, separatism, and extremism, and cooperating on drug control, with 87.5 percent of respondents acknowledging this. 82.7 percent of respondents believe that the Shanghai Cooperation Organization's influence on China and Central Asian countries in counterterrorism, drug control, and combating organized crime is steadily increasing.

In the survey, 90 percent of respondents believe the China-Central Asia mechanism is not about rivalry or competition, but a framework for both sides to seek stability, development, and future-focused cooperation. 88.2 percent praised China-Central Asia cooperation as a new model for international relations. Besides, 91.2 percent said that the high-level cooperation based on mutual respect, equality, and mutual benefit truly reflects the concept of a "community with a shared future for mankind."

The survey was released on CGTN's English, Spanish, French, Arabic, and Russian platforms, with 2,059 overseas participants sharing their views within 24 hours.