BEIJING (Reuters) -China President Xi Jinping signed a treaty to elevate ties with Central Asian nations on Tuesday, as Beijing looks to further deepen cooperation on trade, energy and infrastructure with the resource-rich region.

Chinese President Xi Jinping poses for a group photo with leaders of five Central Asian countries participating in the second China-Central Asia Summit in the Kazakh capital of Astana on June 17, 2025.

On Monday, Xi was greeted by Kazakh President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev and other senior officials at the airport in Astana. The Astana summit follows the inaugural May 2023 China–Central Asia Summit, which was held in Xi’an, the capital city of China’s Shaanxi province.