Tajik Foreign Minister Sirojiddin Muhriddin has left for China to attend the second China + Central Asia (C+C5), the Tajik MFA information department reported on May 11.

The meeting will take place on May 12 in Xi'an, the capital of northwest China's Shaanxi Province.

According to Xinhua, Kazakh Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Mukhtar Tleuberdi, Kyrgyz Foreign Minister Ruslan Kazakbaev, Turkmen Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Rashid Meredov, and Uzbek Foreign Minister Abdulaziz Kamilov will also attend the meeting.    

The Tajik MFA information department says the meeting participants will discuss issues related to strengthening political confidence-building measures, further expanding mutual collaboration, and implementing joint projects.

In particular, they will exchange views on expanding transportation cooperation, ensuring regular trade, providing regional security, and addressing modern challenges and threats, the Tajik MFA information department says.  

Meanwhile, Xinhua reports that Chines MFA spokesperson Hua Chunying said at Monday's press briefing that during the meeting, Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi will be discussing a range of topics of interests with foreign ministers, including the joint fight against the COVID-19 pandemic, building on the Belt and Road Initiative, among other issues.

Recall, the first C+C5 foreign ministers meeting took place via video link on July 16, 2020.  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.