Practical cooperation lays foundation for Central Asia's stability and prosperity: China Daily editorial

Central Asia occupies an important position in China's neighborhood diplomacy. The country has consistently treated its Central Asian neighbors as equal partners in pursuing modernization and prosperity.

At a time when geopolitical tensions, economic fragmentation and uncertainties are testing international cooperation, the broader significance of Chinese Premier Li Qiang's diplomatic engagement with the region that started on Saturday carries importance beyond bilateral diplomacy.

Li's visits to Uzbekistan and Tajikistan and his participation in the 25th meeting of the Council of Heads of Government (Prime Ministers) of Member States of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization in Dushanbe, capital of Tajikistan, demonstrate not only China's commitment to deepening good-neighborly relations and advancing practical cooperation with the countries concerned, but also its efforts to promote a regional order based on mutual trust, shared development and common security.

The China-Kyrgyzstan-Uzbekistan railway project is illustrative of China's approach. By improving regional connectivity and opening new transportation corridors, the project can help to translate geographical proximity into economic opportunity, benefiting not merely individual countries but the wider Eurasian region.

During his meeting with Uzbek President Shavkat Mirziyoyev on Saturday, Li reaffirmed China's readiness to ensure the high-quality implementation of the railway project, expand trade and investment, and strengthen cooperation in energy, minerals, artificial intelligence and green development.

Li's visit to Tajikistan is also expected to expand mutually beneficial cooperation and further strengthen political mutual trust. The treaty on permanent good-neighborliness, friendship and cooperation signed during Tajik President Emomali Rahmon's visit to China in May provides an institutional foundation for bilateral ties.

That US Secretary of State Marco Rubio began a visit to Uzbekistan on Sunday highlights the region's growing international importance. But this should translate into more development opportunities for regional countries, rather than competition that constrains their choices.

In an increasingly interconnected Asia, security and prosperity will not be sustained, if some external forces employ economic coercion to erect artificial barriers. Regional countries have legitimate interests in choosing their development paths and strengthening partnerships without being forced into exclusive geopolitical alignments.

That is why the SCO gathering hosted by Tajikistan gains wide attention from regional countries and beyond. Over the past 25 years, the organization has developed into an important platform for regional security, economic cooperation and dialogue among countries with different political systems, cultural traditions and development priorities. Its vitality derives from the Shanghai Spirit of mutual trust, mutual benefit, equality, consultation, respect for cultural diversity and pursuit of common development.

The SCO's practical importance depends on its capacity to deliver shared benefits. The SCO summits in Tianjin and Bishkek have provided strategic guidance for the organization's next stage of development. The Dushanbe meeting offers an opportunity to translate those understandings into concrete actions and tangible outcomes.

To that end, greater connectivity, smoother trade flows, stronger industrial cooperation and improved development opportunities should become pragmatic measures of the SCO's effectiveness.

Equally important is the organization's contribution to regional stability. As Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi emphasized at the Seventh Summit of the Conference on Interaction and Confidence-Building Measures in Asia in Baku, capital of Azerbaijan, on Thursday, Asia neither needs a Cold War mentality nor welcomes bloc confrontation.

Ultimately, Li's series of diplomatic engagements in Central Asia are practical manifestations of China's dedication to safeguarding peace, promoting prosperity, strengthening exchanges among civilizations and improving global governance. By turning political consensus into concrete cooperation, the SCO can make a greater contribution to a peaceful, prosperous Asia and an equal and orderly multipolar world.