Chinese Minister of Finance Lan Fo’an attended the opening ceremony and delivered remarks. Themed “Unlocking Connectivity and Investment in Central Asia”, the forum was hosted by the Central Asia Regional Economic Cooperation (CAREC) Institute and co-organized by the People’s Government of the Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region. More than 300 representatives attended the event, including ministerial-level government officials from CAREC member countries, as well as representatives from relevant multilateral and bilateral financial institutions, leading think tanks and private enterprises. 

Lan said that in recent years, CAREC has made significant progress and is playing an increasingly important role on the international stage. He emphasized that we should carry forward “China–Central Asia spirit,” continuously broaden areas of cooperation, expand the scale of cooperation and elevate the level of cooperation, so as to accelerate common development through mutually beneficial cooperation and to deliver greater benefits to the peoples of Central Asian countries. 

As an important intergovernmental knowledge-sharing institution in the region, the CAREC Institute has actively contributed to promoting regional cooperation and exchanges, Lan added. He expressed the hope that the Institute would further align its work with regional needs and make greater contributions to opening new chapters of development in Central Asia. 

Lan noted that Xinjiang serves as a vital gateway for China’s opening-up to the West. This September, President Xi Jinping attended the celebration of the 70th founding anniversary of the Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region and outlined a grand blueprint for building a socialist modern Xinjiang. Lan expressed the hope that the CAREC Institute will continue to support Xinjiang’s development and the building of a “golden channel” between Asia and Europe and a bridgehead for China’s westward opening-up. 

Lan said that the Fourth Plenary Session of the 20th CPC Central Committee adopted the recommendations for formulating the 15th Five-Year Plan, charting the course for China’s economic and social development over the next five years. Taking this opportunity, China will deepen development integration with neighboring regions, advance high-quality Belt and Road cooperation, implement the Global Development Initiative, and continue to provide new opportunities for Central Asian countries and the world through new advances in Chinese modernization. 

During the forum, Lan also held bilateral meetings or exchanges with Ahsan Iqbal, Pakistan’s Federal Minister for Planning, Development and Special Initiatives, and Ganbat Jigjid, the State Secretary of the Ministry of Finance of Mongolia, which has served as the CAREC Chair in 2026, exchanging views on issues of mutual interest.