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China reaches into Central Asia’s Silk Road past to build strategic ties of the future

  • Beijing is aiming for stronger relations in the region by harnessing historic bonds of the ancient trade route
  • Region is key to China’s massive belt and road infrastructure and investment projects

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Illustration: Brian Wang
When Chinese President Xi Jinping rolled out the red carpet for five regional leaders at the first China-Central Asia summit last month, the event was replete with historic symbols of the Silk Road.
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Billed as the country’s “first major diplomatic event” of the year, the summit was held in the city of Xian, the ancient capital of China during the Han dynasty (206BC-220AD), and the start of the Silk Road.

Few symbols from history underline China’s contribution to ancient civilisations more than the Silk Road, a vast network of trade routes that connected China to societies in the Mediterranean region and Europe for 1,400 years. Today, the heritage of those transport links is being revived for a new purpose and showcased in Central Asia.

Xi and his wife, Peng Liyuan, hosted a grand welcome ceremony for the Central Asian leaders at Tang Paradise, a large theme park featuring buildings and gardens that incorporates elements of the Tang dynasty (618-907BC), when the ancient Silk Road was at its peak.

As Xi’s signature Belt and Road Initiative – a massive modern-day infrastructure and investment project that borrows from the themes of the Silk Road – enters its 10th year, Beijing seems increasingly inclined to tap the shared regional heritage as a powerful symbol of China’s ties in Central Asia.
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