Five Central Asia’s nations and China yesterday agreed to launch a foreign ministers' meeting mechanism to meet regularly to jointly address challenges, and pursue development and prosperity.

The agreement came when the first China + Central Asia (C+C5) foreign ministers meeting was held via video link.

Chinese State Councilor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi, Kazakh Foreign Minister Mukhtar Tleuberdi, Kyrgyz Foreign Minister Chingiz Aidarbekov, Tajik Foreign Minister Sirojiddin Muhriddin, Turkmen Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Rashid Meredov, and Uzbek Foreign Minister Abdulaziz Kamilov attended the meeting.

According to the Tajik MFA information department, the foreign ministers exchanged views on cooperation in combating the pandemic, economic recovery, maintaining regional security and enhancing international interaction.

Tajik Foreign Minister Sirojiddin Muhriddin, in particular, noted that interaction within the framework of the new China-Central Asia format and other mechanisms is of particular importance and plays an important role in the development and strengthening of strategic partnership between the countries of the region.

He reportedly called on his counterparts to take effective joint measures to prevent the further spread of coronavirus infection and restore sustainable socioeconomic development of the countries of the region. Muhriddin noted that the Government of Tajikistan was taking all the necessary measures to prevent this infection.

In this context, Tajik foreign minister expressed gratitude to China and Central Asian nations for the assistance and support provided to Tajikistan in the fight against the coronavirus infection.

Touching upon the issues of further development of regional interaction, Muhriddin pointed to the necessity of promoting energy and industrial projects and supporting the agricultural sector, expanding the export potential, and ensuring uninterrupted transit of goods.

Meanwhile Chinese media reports say that Wang noted at the meeting the Chinese government attaches great importance to developing strategic partnerships with Central Asian countries.  Cooperation between China and Central Asia is based on the common needs of both sides.  "It does not target any third party, nor does it affect bilateral and multilateral cooperation in the region."

Wang proposed to jointly defeat the COVID-19 pandemic, to jointly promote economic recovery, to safeguard regional security, and to strengthen multilateral cooperation.

Noting Central Asian countries and China are friendly neighbors with high political mutual trust and expanding mutually beneficial cooperation, the five ministers said China's decisive and effective response to the COVID-19 has achieved remarkable results, setting an example for the international community, adding that all parties support WHO to play an important role and firmly oppose the politicization of the pandemic, according to Xinhua.

The ministers reportedly supported the synergy between the Belt and Road Initiative and the development strategies of Central Asian countries and stressed their readiness to further strengthen security cooperation.

The meeting adopted and issued the Joint Statement of the C+C5 Foreign Ministers Video Meeting.