China-Central Asia Summit
Treaty of PERMANENT Good-Neighborliness, Friendship and Cooperation — Full Transcript
I was about to sleep until I read the just-signed result of the China-Central Asia summit- a diplomatic treaty between China and five Central Asian countries, including Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, and Uzbekistan, announcing “Permanent Good-Neighborliness, Friendship and Cooperation.”
In China's diplomatic treaties, the term "permanent"（永久） is not a common one. For example, in the Treaty on Friendship, Cooperation and Mutual Assistance between China and the DPRK, it is merely expressed as "friendship for generations."（世代友好） In Xi’s speech during the summit, he described it
The signing of the Treaty of Permanent Good-Neighborliness, Friendship and Cooperation by the six nations enshrines in legal form the principle of friendship for generations to come. This constitutes a new milestone in the history of relations among the six nations and represents a groundbreaking initiative in China's neighborhood diplomacy, bringing benefits to the current generation while serving the interests of future millennia.
六国签署永久睦邻友好合作条约，以法律形式将世代友好的原则固定下来，这是六国关系史上新的里程碑，也是中国周边外交的创举，功在当代、利在千秋。
I think the treaty marks an elevation in China-Central Asia strategic cooperation. While multiple articles address various security dimensions—from geopolitics to drug and human trafficking, I think Article 3 is worth paying more attention to, with all parties reaffirming that:
They will respect national sovereignty and territorial integrity, taking measures to prohibit any activities within their territories that violate this principle
They will not participate in any alliance or group directed against any other party, nor support actions hostile to other parties
Unlike previous bilateral treaties that specifically named certain separatist movements (such as the East Turkestan Islamic Movement), this treaty employs deliberately broad language prohibiting all separatist activities. My understanding is that a broad definition implies a wider scope of enforcement, which signifies stronger political trust.
Some reports frame this as China trying to compete with Russia or the US in the region. However, I think Central Asia's significance for China does not necessarily have to be a zero-sum geopolitical game.
Geopolitically, Central Asian countries export a large amount of crude oil to China, and it is vital for China's energy security. Also, both counter-separatism efforts in Xinjiang and addressing drug trafficking from Afghanistan require coordination with neighboring countries. Economically, China-Central Asia trade has been surging, reaching $94.8 billion in 2024. China's exports of goods and services to Central Asia totaled $64.2 billion that year, accounting for over two-thirds of bilateral trade. Moreover, Central Asia serves as a critical transit hub for Chinese exports to Europe. The recently launched China-Kyrgyzstan-Uzbekistan railway project, which will connect to Middle Eastern markets, further underscores the region's strategic value as a transcontinental trade hub, making regional stability essential for China's broader economic interests.
Below is the English translation of the treaty I made:
The People's Republic of China, the Republic of Kazakhstan, the Kyrgyz Republic, the Republic of Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, and the Republic of Uzbekistan, hereinafter referred to as "the Parties,"
Considering that comprehensively strengthening good-neighborly friendship and mutually beneficial cooperation is in the fundamental interests of the peoples of all countries,
Noting that maintaining peace, stability, and development in the region and strengthening all-around collaboration are in accordance with the common will and fundamental interests of the peoples of all countries and are of great significance to Asia and the world,
Reaffirming their commitment to the purposes of the Charter of the United Nations and other recognized principles and rules of international law,
Based on the laws of their respective countries,
Reaffirming their firm support for the principles of national independence, sovereignty, territorial integrity, sovereign equality, and inviolability of borders of the Parties,
Committed to maintaining the stable development of relations among the six countries, enhancing the level of cooperation in all fields, and willing to deepen and pass on the friendship of peoples from generation to generation,
Reaffirming their determination to work together to build a closer China-Central Asia community with a shared future,
Have agreed as follows:
Article 1
The Parties shall, on the basis of recognized principles and rules of international law and the Five Principles of mutual respect for sovereignty and territorial integrity, mutual non-aggression, mutual non-interference in internal affairs, equality and mutual benefit, and peaceful coexistence, comprehensively develop long-term stable strategic partnership relations.
The Parties reaffirm that they will not use force against each other or threaten to use force, and will resolve disputes peacefully.
Article 2
The Parties shall comprehensively strengthen mutual trust and strategic coordination, support each other's development path and development model chosen according to their respective national conditions, support each other's positions on core interest issues, and support the economic development strategies implemented by each other.
Article 3
The Parties respect the principle of national sovereignty and territorial integrity and shall take measures to prohibit any activities within their territories that violate this principle.
The Parties shall not participate in any alliance or group directed against any other Party, nor support any actions hostile to other Parties.
Article 4
The Parties attach great importance to political consultations and shall utilize meeting mechanisms at all levels, including high-level visits, to regularly exchange views and coordinate positions on China-Central Asia relations and international and regional issues of common concern.
Article 5
The Parties are willing to cooperate on the basis of equality and mutual benefit in trade, economy, investment, infrastructure connectivity, engineering technology, energy (including hydropower and renewable energy), transportation, minerals, agriculture, ecological and environmental protection, processing industries, science and technology, and other areas of common interest.
Article 6
The Parties shall take necessary measures to carry out exchanges and cooperation in culture, education, healthcare, tourism, sports, news media, and other areas of common interest.
Article 7
The Parties shall, in accordance with their national laws and respective international obligations, cooperate within bilateral and multilateral mechanisms to jointly combat terrorism, separatism and extremism, as well as transnational organized crime, illegal migration, and illegal trafficking of weapons, narcotic drugs, psychotropic substances and their precursors.
Article 8
The Parties shall, in accordance with their national laws and respective international obligations, strengthen mutual trust in defense, defense industry and security fields, and expand bilateral and multilateral cooperation on other issues in these fields.
Article 9
The Parties shall strengthen communication and coordination within the United Nations and other international organizations and multilateral mechanisms in which they participate, and work to promote global and regional peace, stability and sustainable development.
Article 10
Should disputes or differences arise in the interpretation and implementation of this Treaty, the Parties shall resolve them through friendly negotiations and consultations.
Article 11
This Treaty is not directed against any third country and does not affect the rights and obligations of the Parties as parties to other bilateral and multilateral international treaties.
Article 12
To implement the provisions of this Treaty, the Parties may, when necessary, sign separate international treaties on specific areas of common concern.
Article 13
With the consent of all Parties through consultation, amendments and supplements to this Treaty may be made in the form of separate protocols, which shall constitute an integral part of this Treaty.
Article 14
The depositary of this Treaty is the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the People's Republic of China.
The depositary shall send certified copies of the Treaty to all signatories within 15 days after the signing of this Treaty.
Article 15
This Treaty is valid indefinitely and shall enter into force on the date when the depositary receives through diplomatic channels the last written notification that the Parties have completed their internal procedures for entry into force.
The depositary shall notify all Parties of the date of entry into force of this Treaty.
Any Party has the right to withdraw from this Treaty by written notification to the depositary through diplomatic channels.
This Treaty shall cease to have effect for the withdrawing Party 12 months after the depositary receives the notification of withdrawal. The depositary shall inform the other Parties of the relevant decision of the withdrawing Party.
The depositary shall notify the other Parties when this Treaty ceases to have effect for the withdrawing Party.
This Treaty was signed in Astana on June 17, 2025, in one original copy, written in Chinese and Russian. Both texts are equally authentic.
Thanks for posting. How do they square the anti-separatist language with the of “equal rights and self-determination of peoples" per Article 2 of the UN charter?