On September 3 2013, Chinese President Xi Jinping began his third overseas trip since he took office in March. His visits to four Central Asian countries and his appearance at the G20 and SCO summits will boost expectations in three areas.

Firstly, his trip is expected to boost the world's confidence in China's economic development. Since the first G20 summit in 2008, China's economy has grown the quickest among all G20 member countries. Global economic development still lacks momentum. While major economies are recovering, some emerging markets are facing new problems. Although China's economy has slowed, 7.5 percent growth this year is still possible. According to the International Monetary Fund (IMF), if this happens, China's contribution to the global economy will be 28 percent. At the G20 summit in St. Petersburg, President Xi will make a speech on the bright future of China's economy. This will dispel gloom about China's economic development and show that it can stabilize the world economy.

Secondly, Xi's trip is expected to usher in a golden decade in the relationships between China and Central Asian countries. A peaceful, stable and prosperous Central Asia is important for China's national development and security, as well as its relations with surrounding countries. Central Asia has abundant natural resources, especially in energy. As a major channel connecting Europe and Asia, it has a direct bearing on the security of northwestern China. Meanwhile, Central Asian countries need understanding and support from China to safeguard their independence, sovereignty and territorial integrity and develop their economies. Over the next decade, China will work with them closely to improve their relationship. While energy cooperation is an important part, cooperation in other sectors, such as transportation, telecommunications, agriculture, tourism and infrastructure will contribute. During his visits, President Xi will propose enhancements to the bilateral relations between China and Central Asia.

Third, Xi's trip is expected to lead to enhanced security cooperation among SCO members. Security and economic cooperation are regarded as the two cornerstones of SCO's progress. Security cooperation is a major driving force behind the growth and expansion of the organization. Over the past few years, the situation in the Middle East has been volatile, exerting a negative influence on Central Asia. China has contributed to fighting terrorism, separatism and extremism in the area. In addition, drug trafficking, transnational organized crimes and cyber crime have become major issues at the SCO summit. President Xi's first appearance at the SCO summit will help enhance mutual trust and cooperation.

This post was first published in Chinese and translated by Chen Xia.

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