China pulls on Tang dynasty Silk Road ties to help secure central Asian future
- Five regional leaders were greeted with dancers and a banquet harking back to Xian’s imperial past as a centre of trade and culture
- Beijing is trying to position itself as an alternative partner to Russia
The gathering in the northwestern Chinese city – home to the terracotta warriors and the start of the Silk Road – got under way performances and a banquet inspired by the Tang dynasty (618-907).
Xian was the imperial capital for much of the dynasty and a centre of culture and economic activity with neighbouring countries.
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“Shaanxi, as the eastern starting point of the ancient Silk Road, has witnessed the profound friendship between China and the Central Asian countries for over two thousand years,” state news agency Xinhua quoted Xi as saying.
“Throughout the centuries, the peoples of China and Central Asia have engaged in extensive exchanges, mutual learning, and created the brilliance of the ancient Silk Road, leaving a glorious chapter in the history of human civilisation and cultural exchange.”
Now Xi’s eye is on the future, encouraging countries in the region to “board the fast train of China’s development and jointly create a brighter future”.
The G7 summit runs until Sunday and China will no doubt be one of the major focuses of discussion for leaders of the United States, Japan, Canada, Germany, France, Italy and Britain.
Another topic on the G7 agenda is the war in Ukraine – an issue of keen interest in central Asia.
Central Asia has traditionally been considered Russia’s backyard and countries in the region have not openly condemned Moscow’s invasion.
But neither have they explicitly supported Russia. At the same time, China is seeking to present itself as the preferred partner in the region and build economic power to counter the West.
Before the summit, Xi hosted a series of one-on-one meetings, including with leaders from Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan, two countries that have been courted by the US.
As the war in Ukraine grinds on, China’s star as an alternative trade and security partner is rising.
In April, the total trade volume between China and the five Central Asian countries exceeded 50 billion yuan (US$7 billion) for the first time. China is so far the biggest importer of natural gas from the region.
Today it’s no longer Tang silk ties that bind – it’s oil and gas pipelines keeping the region connected.
