Central Asia seen vital for regional growth

BEIJING — Chinese President Xi Jinping's just-concluded trip to Central Asia is significant for guiding the direction of the development of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO), deepening China's good-neighborly relations with regional countries, and promoting the substantial advancement of building a community with a shared future among neighboring countries, Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi said on Saturday.

Wang, also a member of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee, made the remarks during a press briefing on Xi's attendance at the 24th Meeting of the Council of Heads of State of the SCO in Astana, and state visits to Kazakhstan and Tajikistan this week.