Rearch On The Economic And Trade Cooperation Between China And The Central Asian Countries Under The Background Of "Silk Road Economic Belt"

Chinese president Xijinping made important speech in Kazakhstan on Sep.7th,2013, and proposed to co-build the "Silk Road Economic Belt", in which innovative cooperation mode should be used to tighten the economic relationship, widen cooperation fields and deepen cooperation among countries along the silk road. This is a big cause that will benefit the people of these countries. For the external effects, through mutual benefit and win-win economic, trade and cultural exchange, the building of the "Silk Road Economic Belt" will tighten the relationship between China and the other silk road countries, strength regional exchange and cooperation, and promote the economic cooperation of Europe and Asia. For the internal effects, the building of the "Silk Road Economic Belt" can pull the economic development of the western regions of China, and form the opening frontier; can build good political and economic environment surrounding China; and can absorb China’s excess production capacity and find new sources of economic growth. The proposal of the "Silk Road Economic Belt" strategy satisfies the development needs of China and other countries, and it is warm welcomed and actively participated by the countries along the silk road and by domestic regions.Central Asia is located in the heartland of Eurasia, and it has been the only way must be passed and the strategic passage of the land trade route since ancient times. Nowadays, the geostrategic importance of Central Asia is even greater. It is the outbound starting point of the "Silk Road Economic Belt", and it is also the important area and core zone of the "Silk Road Economic Belt". In recent years, the economic cooperation of China and Central Asian countries has been developing very fast. The bilateral trade has increased by 100 times in 20 years. At present, China is the biggest trading partner of Kazakhstan and Turkmenistan, and the second biggest trading partner of Kyrgyzstan and Uzbekistan, and the third biggest trading partner of Tajikistan. China’s investment in the Central Asian countries has also been increasing very fast. By 2013, China is the biggest foreign investor of Kyrgyzstan, the second biggest foreign investor of Tajikistan, and the forth biggest foreign investor of Kazakhstan. In addition, the both sides have been improving their cooperation in energy, transportation, finance, and production capacity. China and the Central Asian countries are complementary in economic structure. Under the strategy of the co-building of the "Silk Road Economic Belt", good cooperation trend has been shown. However, the building of the "Silk Road Economic Belt" not only faces valuable development opportunities, but also great challenges. The paper has made in-depth analysis on the economic and trade cooperation between China and the Central Asian countries under the strategy of the "Silk Road Economic Belt", and puts forward targeted countermeasures and suggestions.The paper is divided into eight chapters. The contents are as follows.Chapter one is the introduction. It summarizes the research background, the meaning of the research, domestic and overseas research status, and research methods of the paper. And it also points out the innovative points and the deficiencies of the paper.Chapter two is the literature review. From the practical situation of the economic and trade cooperation between China and the Central Asian countries under the building of the "Silk Road Economic Belt", the paper introduces theories in international trade, international direct investment and regional economic cooperation, which provides theoretical support for the following research.Chapter three introduces the historic and realistic background of the proposal of the "Silk Road Economic Belt", elaborates the status of the Central Asian countries in the "Silk Road Economic Belt", and points out the realizability and feasibility of the building of the "Silk Road Economic Belt" according to the reality of the cooperation by both sides. For the consideration of geopolitics and economic safety, the opening and the development of the western regions of China, energy safety, RMB internationalization, transportation and upgrading of China’s economy, etc. the building of the "Silk Road Economic Belt" has important strategic purposes for China’s economic development in the future. Considering China and the Central Asian countries have sound historic and cultural foundation, good neighborly and friendly relations, common view on the "Silk Road Economic Belt", good economic cooperation and infrastructure foundation, the building the "Silk Road Economic Belt" by them is feasible.Chapter four analyzes the development history and the present situation of the economic and trade cooperation between China and the Central Asian countries. This chapter systematically analyzes the trade, investment, energy, finance and transportation and logistics cooperation between China and the Central Asian countries.Chapter five elaborates the opportunities and challenges for the economic and trade cooperation between China and the Central Asian countries under the strategy of the "Silk Road Economic Belt". Since the proposal of the "Silk Road Economic Belt" was brought forward by China in Sep. in 2013, it has won active response from the Central Asian countries. China and the Central Asian countries have signed a series of declarations, agreements, communiques, etc., and clarified the cooperation intention and cooperation fields of both sides, which brings new opportunities for their cooperation. At the same time, the building of the "Silk Road Economic Belt" also faces challenges from many aspects, such as the competition of powers in Central Asia is very complicated and heated, the safety situation of Central Asia is not optimistic, the trade and investment environment is not very good, there are many difficulties with the energy cooperation, finance cooperation develops very slowly, there are many problems with the transportation and logistics cooperation, etc.Chapter six puts forward near-term objective and long-term objective, building principles, cooperation mode, cooperation mechanism and cooperation emphasis of the economic and trade cooperation between China and the Central Asian countries under the strategy of the "Silk Road Economic Belt", which points out the development direction and development path for the building of the "Silk Road Economic Belt". Under the principles of "harmony and inclusiveness, market operation, mutual benefit, peace and cooperation", the building of the "Silk Road Economic Belt" should adopt the "multi-fields", "incremental benefit" and "dot-axis-area" cooperation modes, give full play to the bilateral and multilateral cooperation mechanism to promote the deep development of mutual cooperation.Chapter seven proposes corresponding countermeasures and suggestions according to the existing problems and challenges faced by the economic and trade cooperation between China and the Central Asian countries. In the future, China should deal well with the relations with relavant powers, actively carry out Silk Road diplomacy, and positively innovate and improve the cooperation with the Central Asian countries in trade, investment, energy, finance, transportation and logistics.Chapter eight is the conclusion, and it summarizes the above analysis and research.