2024年1月15日，中国人民大学区域国别研究院高级研究员王宪举在People's Daily 上发表评论，他指出，随着内部冲突的不断解决和改善，一个地缘政治的“新中亚”正在出现。
原文摘录：
The governmental delegations of Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan met in Kyrgyzstan's Batken province from December 8 to 14 in 2023, reaching an agreement regarding the 47.05 kilometers of the Kyrgyz-Tajik border, according to Central Asian media reports.
With the continual resolution of internal conflicts and ongoing improvement in coordination, it could be said a geopolitical "New Central Asia" is emerging.
In the last two years and against the background of the Russia-Ukraine conflict, five Central Asian countries have strengthened their independent, pluralistic and balanced diplomacy in order to remain neutral and resist the effects of sanctions from Western powers.
Uzbekistan is among the countries promoting integration in Central Asia. In early September 2016, Shavkat Mirziyoyev, who served as prime minister for 13 years, assumed the presidency.
Mirziyoyev initiated reforms to loosen restrictions and open up, proposing the development strategy of "New Uzbekistan" for 2022-2026 in September 2021.
Another engine driving the promotion of integration in Central Asia is Kazakhstan.
In March 2022 Kazakh President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev delivered a state-of-the-nation address titled "New Kazakhstan: The Path of Renewal and Modernisation," indicating that Kazakhstan had embarked on modernization and begun to promote innovation.
The concerted efforts of Uzbekistan and Kazakhstan, two rising Central Asian powers, have created conditions for developing bilateral relations and the rise of the Central Asian region.
Mirziyoyev visited Kazakhstan in 2017 and 2021, injecting new impetus into cooperation between the two countries.
In December 2022 Tokayev paid a return visit to Tashkent and signed 15 documents with Mirziyoyev, including the treaty on allied relations and an agreement on border demarcation.
Led by cooperation between Uzbekistan and Kazakhstan, the other three Central Asian countries also improved or strengthened their relations.
In July 2022 the fourth consultative meeting of the heads of state of Central Asia passed the Treaty of Friendship, Good Neighborhood and Cooperation for the Development of Central Asia in the 21st Century.
In September 2023 the fifth consultative meeting of the heads of state of Central Asia passed agreements including the Agreement on Strengthening the Interconnectedness of Land Transport in Central Asia. Central Asian countries have taken new strides in regional integration.
Increased internal stability and policies for continuous promotion of reform and opening-up have contributed to the economic growth of the Central Asian countries.
In 2022, the average GDP growth of Central Asian countries was 3.9 percent, with an anticipated increase of over 4 percent in 2023. Uzbekistan's economic growth for the first three quarters of 2023 was 6.1 percent while Kazakhstan's stood at 4.9 percent.
Turkmenistan's economy is forecast to grow by 6.5 percent in 2023 and an estimated 7 percent in 2024.
The five Central Asian countries, as a regional entity, are cooperating with other regional organizations like never before. The first-ever Gulf Cooperation Council and Central Asia Summit was held in Saudi Arabia on July 19, 2023. On November 9, the 16th Summit of the Economic Cooperation Organization was held in Tashkent, Uzbekistan, where Mirziyoyev proposed a new concept document "Strategic goals of economic cooperation - 2035," focusing on mutual trade, connectivity, industrial collaboration, energy security, climate change and cooperation in fields including tourism. On November 24 the United Nations Special Program for the Economies of Central Asia Meeting was held in Baku, Azerbaijan, which was attended by leaders from the four Central Asian countries except Turkmenistan. Leaders from Azerbaijan, Georgia and Hungary also attended to discuss cooperative matters.
Interaction has intensified between the five Central Asian countries and major Western countries.
High-ranking officials from the United States and Europe visited Central Asian countries more frequently in 2023.
On September 19 of that year, US President Joe Biden met five Central Asia leaders at the UN Headquarters, signifying the first-ever Central Asia-US Leaders' Summit.
In November during the G7 Foreign Ministers' Meeting, Japan also invited Central Asian foreign ministers to participate online.
One of the primary aims of the five Central Asian countries in developing foreign relations is to expand economic and trade cooperation and attract investment.
Over the last decade, the European Union has invested about 105 billion euros in Central Asia. The US has invested over $60 billion in Kazakhstan's oil and gas industry. Uzbekistan attracted $10 billion in foreign investment from 2017 to 2023.
Overall, Central Asia is revitalizing and progressing with domestic reform, economic development and pluralistic and balanced diplomacy. A "New Central Asia" would not only benefit Central Asian countries but also contribute to the peace, stability and development of the Eurasian region and the world.
文章来源：People's Daily app
原文链接：https://peoplesdaily.pdnews.cn/topnews/er/30002070357
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