On December 2, 2025, more than 300 government officials, financiers and industry experts gathered in Urumqi, in the Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region in northwest the Chinese mainland, for the opening of the Tianshan Forum for Central Asia Economic Cooperation. This two-day event runs through December 3 and aims to unlock new pathways for trade, transport, energy and digital connectivity across the region.
Themed 'Unlocking Connectivity and Investment in Central Asia,' the forum brought together CAREC member countries to share strategies and build partnerships. Chinese Finance Minister Lan Fo'an highlighted the progress since CAREC's inception and called for deeper cooperation to ensure that economic growth benefits all communities.
Charymuhammet Shallyyev, director of the CAREC Institute, emphasized the forum's role as a collaborative platform after the institute conducted over 180 research studies and trained more than 2,000 officials since 2015. He said, 'The Tianshan forum will serve as a bridge linking policymakers, the private sector, development partners and the research community to offer solutions to our shared challenges.'
Pakistan's Federal Minister for Planning, Development and Special Initiatives Ahsan Iqbal underscored Central and South Asia as emerging growth engines, citing successful Pakistan-China projects and urging expanded cooperation in industry, technology and agriculture.
The forum also marked the launch of a Central Asia fiscal cooperation research center, established by the CAREC Institute and Xinjiang's regional finance department. Participants pointed to the region's rising trade volume—China-Central Asia trade hit $94.8 billion in 2024—and Xinjiang's growing role as a Belt and Road hub.
As Eurasia's crossroads, Central Asia stands to benefit from enhanced connectivity and streamlined investment frameworks. The Tianshan Forum set the stage for the next wave of regional integration, with young entrepreneurs, digital innovators and policy makers ready to shape a more connected future.
Reference(s):
China's Xinjiang hosts forum to boost Central Asia links, trade
cgtn.com
