As China and Central Asian countries mark the 30th anniversary of the establishment of their diplomatic relations, the sixth China International Import Expo Global Conference was held on Thursday at Nazarbayev University in Astana, Kazakhstan.

The event coincided with the 10th anniversary of the establishment of the Belt and Road Initiative and was held about two months before the sixth China International Import Expo opens in Shanghai.

The Astana conference, which attracted representatives of more than 40 companies from Central Asian countries, was organized by the China Daily 21st Century English Education Media, the Xinhua News Agency New Media Center and the Taihe Institute think tank of Beijing, and is sponsored by the Bank of China in Kazakhstan.

Among those who attended were: Yu Xiantao, the minister counselor for economic and commercial affairs at the Chinese embassy in Astana; Shi Huangjun, vice-president of the National Exhibition and Convention Center (Shanghai); Zeng Qingkai, editor-in-chief of 21st Century English Education Media; Xu Jing, president of the Astana branch of China Bank of Kazakhstan; and Egemberdieva Asel Yerikovna, the deputy director of the QazTrade Policy Development Center Joint Stock Company.

Kazakhstan has been an enthusiastic participant in the CIIE since 2018, Yu said in his keynote speech. Through the CIIE, he said he hopes more Kazakh entities will establish closer partnerships with Chinese companies so they can get their high-quality products into the Chinese market.

Officials of the National Exhibition and Convention Center (Shanghai) talked about the direction in which they see China-Kazakh economic and trade collaboration going, and highlighted the significance of working together on shaping policy and furthering cultural exchanges. They affirmed their commitment to promoting a favorable environment for companies.

Zeng said: "The CIIE serves as a window for the world to gain insights into China's new era, allowing China and Kazakhstan to draw on their advantages to tap into development opportunities. China Daily is a longtime supporter of the CIIE and is committed to effectively communicating China's stories and amplifying its voice worldwide."

After the keynote speeches at the Forum on Global Youth Dialogue and Generation Z event, young people discussed issues such as how Chinese and Central Asians perceive one another, what myth and reality are, how to digest information and how youths can interact to produce solutions.

At the Astana event, an agreement on strengthening collaboration was signed by the China International Import Expo Bureau, the National Exhibition and Convention Center (Shanghai) and the QazTrade Policy Development Center.

By Chen Huan and Dylan Walker