URUMQI, June 10 (Xinhua) -- A regional cooperation platform launched by northwest China's Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region has expanded its circle of participants, bringing in representatives from Kyrgyzstan and Turkmenistan for the first time.
The 2026 International Conference for Trans-Altai Subregional Cooperation opened on Wednesday in Altay, Xinjiang, with government and business representatives from China, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Turkmenistan, Mongolia and Russia attending.
The Altai subregion, located in the heart of Eurasia, covers about 780,000 square kilometers and has a population of more than 5.2 million. This year's meeting was held under the theme "Building cooperation momentum for shared development and prosperity."
The broader turnout marks a step up from last year's meeting and points to Xinjiang's effort to turn a geographically remote border region into a platform for subregional cooperation in trade, logistics, energy, technology, agriculture, tourism and education.
Erlist Akunbekov, deputy chairman of the Cabinet of Ministers of the Kyrgyz Republic, said in a video address that the conference is a special event for the Kyrgyz delegation attending for the first time.
He said the Kyrgyz Republic has solid good-neighborly relations, reliable partnerships and a foundation of mutual respect with all participants in the dialogue mechanism.
Yazgeldi Bekmyradov, deputy khyakim (mayor) of Ashgabat, Turkmenistan, said he was pleased to see the Altai Mountains region develop into an effective platform for representatives and business communities from different countries to exchange views and share experience.
He said strengthening ties via the platform would help promote cooperation in trade and the economy, science and technology, environmental protection, transport connectivity, education, culture and urban tourism, while deepening sister-city relations.
Chen Xiaojiang, secretary of the Communist Party of China Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Regional Committee, mentioned in a keynote speech that stronger cooperation in the Altai subregion now enjoys favorable conditions as regional economic integration gathers pace.
Chen said Xinjiang will work with all parties in a more proactive manner to expand economic and trade cooperation, strengthen connectivity, deepen scientific and technological cooperation, promote people-to-people exchanges and safeguard regional peace.
Xinjiang will help tighten the bonds of shared interests and contribute to building a regional community with a shared future, he added.
A list of 100 cooperation outcomes reached by different parties was presented at the conference. The outcomes cover seven areas: connectivity and logistics, mineral resources and energy, science and technology, medical and health care, culture and education, trade and investment, and sister-city agreements. Five thematic meetings were also held on Wednesday afternoon.
