Experts say Belt and Road Initiative to boost economic development of Central Asian countries

BISHKEK, April 19 (Xinhua) -- The participation in the Belt and Road Initiative will contribute to the economic development of the countries of Central Asia, experts said here on Thursday.

It will help the countries of Central Asia to launch new industries, new development centers and create new jobs, Elena Kuzmina, head of the Center for Post-Soviet Studies at Institute of World Economy and International Relations of Russian Academy of Sciences, said at a round table conference "Kyrgyzstan and One Belt, One Road initiative: from past to future."

This is important for the densely populated region of Central Asia, Kuzmina said, adding that the world practice has shown that new production and development centers are always emerging along the roads.

During the discussion, political scientists, public figures, experts noted that the Belt and Road Initiative, having such a rich history and roots in the modern world, is a topical idea, a platform that can unite countries on the principles of mutually beneficial cooperation, cultures and science.

Kairat Osmonaliev, adviser to the Minister of Education, noted that the Belt and Road Initiative is a grand project.

"Already there are growth points, and the development of this project will be targeted," he said.

At the same time, the expert stressed that this initiative will play a constructive role both in the region and in Kyrgyzstan.

"We need mutual interest, not a game with only one goal. Kyrgyzstan always has something to offer and it is necessary to actively promote its market so that within the framework of this initiative partnership, trusting and mutually beneficial relations are established," he said.

Bakyt Baketaev, an independent economic analyst, considered that so far, for the successful implementation of this initiative, there are not enough clear political decisions, as well as harmonization of the legal framework.

He expressed hope that the Kyrgyz president's visit to China will clarify some dead-end circumstances.

"There is a conviction that flexible solutions should be found for mutually beneficial cooperation and interaction, so that this initiative won't bypass Kyrgyzstan," Baketaev said.

Experts noted the enormous potential for the development of cooperation in the framework of the initiative, highlighting cooperation in the field of information technology, where Kyrgyzstan can act as an information hub for processing and transmitting data from China to other countries.

Experts also stressed that Kyrgyzstan, due to its location, can offer the Belt and Road Initiative a logistics center for processing, storing and dispatching goods.