Media forum “Central Asia – China” 2025 begins in Astana

The forum opened with a congratulatory message from the President of the Republic of Kazakhstan, Kassym-Jomart Tokayev, delivered by Arman Kyrykbayev, Assistant to the President for Domestic Policy and Communications. The address highlighted the vital role of the media in uniting societies and fostering international cooperation.

“Dear friends, I congratulate you on the opening of the Forum on Enhancing Integration between China and Central Asia. This is a meeting that will deepen partnerships and build consensus and trust in the media sectors of our countries. Today, large-scale changes are taking place in the world, and the role of journalists — who are considered a golden bridge between different cultures and societies — is becoming more important than ever. A competent and responsible information policy will strengthen our unity and contribute to our sustainable development.

In our time, the media sector has become an extremely important tool for promoting peace, mutual support, and harmony. In this regard, the ‘One Belt, One Road’ initiative of President Xi Jinping of the People’s Republic of China holds great significance. This unique project is highly valued by the international community as a concept of global cooperation.

Kazakhstan places great importance on the development of friendly relations with the People’s Republic of China. Our countries, striving for effective dialogue, share common interests and goals. It is essential for people to get to know each other better and jointly seek solutions to global challenges. Responsible members of the media can make a significant contribution to this effort.

Such gatherings promote the principles of stability, openness, and creativity across the Eurasian space. I believe that the forum will generate fresh ideas and sound opinions that will benefit all countries in the region. I wish you all prosperity and great success,” the message read.

Hu Heping, Deputy Head of the Publicity Department of the Communist Party of China Central Committee, emphasized the forum’s theme and its broader objectives in his address.

“The theme of this forum is to build a closer China–Central Asia community of shared destiny with aligned values and unified media efforts. We aim to carry forward the spirit of the Silk Road, enhance cooperation among the media of various countries, promote civilizational exchange, and inject new vitality into China–Central Asia relations.

Central Asia is not only a pioneer in the joint construction of the Belt and Road Initiative but also a benchmark for interconnectivity. Over the past decade, China and Central Asian countries have worked together to revitalize the Silk Road, achieving tangible and fruitful results in cooperation and bringing people from all countries closer together.

China is willing to deepen high-quality cooperation with Central Asian nations in the joint development of the Belt and Road, align development strategies more closely, and foster a new model of deep, complementary, and mutually beneficial cooperation,” he stated.

Fan Jiangshan, Deputy Editor-in-Chief of the People’s Daily, highlighted four key areas for advancing media collaboration between Central Asia and China: building mutual trust, fostering shared narratives, embracing innovation, and investing in future media talent.

“The countries of Central Asia and China are developing nations that have gone through similar historical stages, share common development goals, and aspire to revitalization. We are natural members of the Global South and fellow travelers on the path to modernization.

From this standpoint, forming a closer community of shared destiny is not just desirable — it is essential. Our common interests in development strategies, security, and cultural exchange are growing, and our cooperation is expanding. A comprehensive, multi-layered, and wide-ranging community of shared destiny will help our countries achieve mutual success on the road to modernization and serve as a model for new international relations,” he said.

Also delivering welcoming remarks were Raushan Kazhibayeva, Director General of the Television and Radio Complex of the President of Kazakhstan; Yevgeny Kochetov, Vice Minister of Culture and Information of Kazakhstan; Sun Weidong, Secretary-General of the “Central Asia – China” Mechanism (via video message); Chinese Ambassador to Kazakhstan Han Chunlin; and Mederbek Shermetaliev, Director of the Kyrgyz National Information Agency Kabar. Each speaker underscored the forum’s significance in advancing media cooperation between Central Asia and China.

The opening ceremony also featured the premiere of a music video titled Echo of the Silk Road, produced using innovative technologies. The video symbolized the spirit of modern media collaboration along the historic trade route.

Earlier this week, President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev highlighted the importance of strengthening business ties between Kazakhstan and China in a recent meeting with Xi Guohua, Chairman of the Board of Directors of CITIC Group Corporation.