China News Service, Dunhuang, Gansu Province, November 5 (Reporter Ding Si) People-to-people connectivity is the profound foundation for jointly building the "Belt and Road", and academic dialogue is an important carrier of mutual learning among civilizations. On the 4th, the “Belt and Road” China-Central and South Asia Cooperation and Development Forum and the 2026 Annual Meeting of the Central and South Asia Branch of the China South Asia Society were held in Dunhuang, Gansu, focusing on new growth points in regional cooperation.
As an important sub-forum of the Dunhuang Forum of the 9th Silk Road (Dunhuang) International Cultural Expo, this forum has the theme of "Building a Community with a Shared Future between China and Western Neighboring Countries" and sets four sub-topics: regional hot issues and regional governance, regional economic cooperation and investment facilitation, regional cultural exchanges and mutual learning of civilizations, and key areas and priority directions of cooperative development. Guests from home and abroad exchanged views on regional governance, economic and trade investment, cultural exchanges, and pragmatic cooperation.
On November 4, the “Belt and Road” China-Central Asia and South Asia Cooperation and Development Forum and the 2026 Annual Meeting of the Central and South Asia Branch of the China South Asia Society were held in Dunhuang, Gansu. Photo courtesy of Lanzhou University
Central Asia and South Asia are located in the hinterland of the Eurasian continent, connected by mountains and rivers, and closely related by people. Since ancient times, it has been a prosperous place where the Silk Road connected the east and west, merchants exchanged, and civilizations blended. It is also an important direction for today's high-quality "Belt and Road" joint construction and a hub area connecting the Eurasian continent. For thousands of years, the people of various countries along the ancient Silk Road have worked together and achieved mutual success, and jointly cultivated the Silk Road spirit of peace and cooperation, openness and tolerance, mutual learning, and mutual benefit.
Ma Xiaojie, Secretary of the Party Committee of Lanzhou University, said that for many years, Lanzhou University has coordinated on-campus research resources, supported the construction of core platforms such as the "Belt and Road" Research Center and the Institute of Central Asia, and collaborated with new think tanks in Gansu Province universities to adhere to a problem-oriented approach and focus on major practical issues such as regional security governance, economic and trade exchanges, ecological protection, and mutual learning among civilizations. It has carried out special research and field surveys to produce high-quality research results and decision-making advice.
On November 4, the “Belt and Road” China-Central Asia and South Asia Cooperation and Development Forum and the 2026 Annual Meeting of the Central and South Asia Branch of the China South Asia Society were held in Dunhuang, Gansu. Photo courtesy of Lanzhou University
At the same time, relying on international student education and joint training projects, we will cultivate young talents with both professional abilities and cross-cultural perspectives for Central and South Asian countries; relying on disciplinary accumulation in the fields of geography, ecological environment, history and culture, regional countries, etc., we will carry out joint research on issues common to all countries such as desertification prevention and control, water resources and ecological security, and cultural heritage protection, so that academic achievements can benefit more and better regional development and the people of all countries.
Ma Xiaojie proposed that the school will continue to be based in the west, serve the whole country, and face the Silk Road, further strengthen the Central Asian and South Asian research platform, improve the on-campus think tank system, and promote multi-disciplinary cross-integration; continue to deepen regular exchanges and collaborations with universities, scientific research institutions, government departments, and industry enterprises in Central and South Asian countries; improve the quality of international talent training, produce more high-level scientific research and decision-making consulting results; strengthen collaboration with domestic academic circles, and jointly improve the "Belt and Road" and regional national academic systems.
Sun Weidong, Secretary-General of the China-Central Asia Mechanism, said that now, aerospace, artificial intelligence, digital economy, green minerals, modern agriculture, intelligent weather early warning, etc. have become new growth points for China-Central Asia pragmatic cooperation. From the ecological management of the Aral Sea to curbing the spread of desertification, from the Health Express Bright Journey to the establishment of a poverty alleviation cooperation center, every cooperation records a vivid story of jointly building a homeland and bringing people closer together.
Sun Weidong pointed out that the current regional and national studies are playing an increasingly important role in China's higher education and think tank scientific research systems. He hopes that domestic universities will take advantage of the construction of regional and national studies to continue to delve into Central Asia and China-Central Asia cooperative research, closely follow the cooperative development needs of both parties, strengthen research on policy recommendations, and jointly cultivate interdisciplinary talents.
Experts attending the meeting also proposed that we should fully tap the historical resources of the Silk Road, build regular academic exchange channels, and use academic exchanges to drive people-to-people and cultural exchanges; we should take into account the construction of major landmark projects and "small but beautiful" people's livelihood projects, coordinate development and security, and build a consensus to maintain regional stability and achieve common prosperity. (over)
