Russia’s and China’s Role in Providing Security in Central Asia. Andrey Kortunov Makes a Speech Devoted to the “Silk Road” Concept

An international conference entitled “Creating a business cooperation community encompassing China and Central Asia” was held in the Center for Russian and Central Asian Studies at the Shanghai Academy of Social Sciences on November 4-5, 2013. The conference was devoted to the concept of the Silk Road proposed by China’s president Xi Jinping during his speech at the Nazarbayev University in Kazakhstan.

An international conference entitled “Creating a business cooperation community encompassing China and Central Asia” was held in the Center for Russian and Central Asian Studies at the Shanghai Academy of Social Sciences on November 4-5, 2013. The conference was devoted to the concept of the Silk Road proposed by China’s president Xi Jinping during his speech at the Nazarbayev University in Kazakhstan.

The president of the People’s Republic of China for the first time suggested that Eurasian countries make use of a new model of cooperation and by joining forces establish an economic corridor of the Silk Road by means of increasing political contacts, creating a single railroad network, strengthening commercial ties, currency flows and public contacts along with establishing an innovational infrastructure of large-scale cooperation in the region. Heads of scientific research centers in Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, Kirgizstan and Tajikistan as well as scientists from Russia, experts from Shanghai and Beijing, party and state leaders from Shanghai took part in the conference.

Practical aspects of developing the concept of the Silk Road including the possible phases of its implementation, its major components (transport infrastructure, legal framework, points of reference, its correlation with other integration projects in the region, impact of implementing the concept on security, environment, preserving traditional cultures etc.).

RIAC Director General presented a report entitled “Providing Security in Central Asia: Roles of Russia and China” (in russian) at the conference. He also informed the participants of the conference about the latest RIAC publications concerning the Central Asia region.