China hosted a Central Asia Summit in its historic city of Xi’an on May 18 and 19, one day before this year’s Group of Seven (G-7) Summit in Japan’s Hiroshima from May 19 to 21.
The Chinese leader Xi Jinping met with heads of state from Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, and Uzbekistan in one-on-one meetings, touting “long-lasting friendship” with these former Soviet Union republics.
Xi’an, originally known as Xianyang and Chang’an, was the capital of several powerful Chinese dynasties, including the Qin, Han, and Tang. It was the starting point of the ancient Silk Road during the Han Dynasty.
China analysts believe that Xi intentionally picked Xi’an to hold the Central Asia Summit as an open challenge to the G-7 summit and as a platform to show his leadership in an international body….