China, Central Asia further strengthen educational cooperation

The China–Central Asia Education Ministers' Meeting was held on Monday in Urumqi, capital of Northwest China's Xinjiang Uygur autonomous region, further strengthening educational cooperation between China and the five Central Asian nations.

Xinjiang Party Secretary Ma Xingrui said while delivering a welcome address that education is the cornerstone of long-term stability and prosperity in Xinjiang. The region will build a stronger education system and deepen partnerships with countries involved in the Belt and Road Initiative, especially the Central Asian nations, Ma said.

Higher education institutes in Xinjiang are supported to promote educational and cultural exchanges with the five countries through efforts such as co-establishing Confucius Institutes and encouraging overseas studies, he added.

Minister of Education Huai Jinpeng said both sides share a vital mission in national development and cultural exchange and have achieved notable progress in recent years through mutual learning and innovation.

To further deepen cooperation, Huai proposed building a collaborative higher education system and establishing an advanced research institute in Xinjiang to serve regional development. He also called for expanding vocational education tailored to local needs and developing shared digital education resources.

Education ministers from Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, and Uzbekistan also delivered remarks at the meeting.

Multiple achievements were announced during the meeting, including the launch of China–Central Asia industry-education integration alliance and the Central Asia institute of the global teacher development college.

Other major agreements were the signing of the China-Kazakhstan elite engineers institute, and the inauguration of joint international research centers such as an international medical center in Astana and a crop breeding lab among countries involved in the Silk Road Economic Belt, according to the ministry.