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BEIJING, July 16-- Chinese State Councilor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi on Thursday attended and presided over the first China + Central Asia (C+C5) foreign ministers meeting via video link. Kazakh Foreign Minister Mukhtar Tleuberdi, Kyrgyz Foreign Minister Chingiz Aidarbekov, Tajik Foreign Minister Sirojiddin Muhriddin, Turkmen Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Rashid Meredov, and Uzbek Foreign Minister Abdulaziz Kamilov attended the meeting. Wang said the Chinese government attaches great importance to developing strategic partnerships with Central Asian countries. Cooperation between China and Central Asia is based on the common needs of both sides. "It does not target any third party, nor does it affect bilateral and multilateral cooperation in the region." Wang proposed to jointly defeat the COVID-19 pandemic, to jointly promote economic recovery, to safeguard regional security, and to strengthen multilateral cooperation. Noting Central Asian countries and China are friendly neighbors with high political mutual trust and expanding mutually beneficial cooperation, the five ministers said China's decisive and effective response to the COVID-19 has achieved remarkable results, setting an example for the international community, adding that all parties support WHO to play an important role and firmly oppose the politicization of the pandemic. The ministers supported the synergy between the Belt and Road Initiative and the development strategies of central Asian countries and stressed their readiness to further strengthen security cooperation. | 
