Wang Yi Attends 7th CICA Summit in Baku

On October 15, in Baku, Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi attended the Seventh Summit of the Conference on Interaction and Confidence Building Measures in Asia (CICA) as President Xi Jinping’s special representative, where he delivered a comprehensive address outlining four major initiatives for regional security, economic cooperation, and global governance.

Wang Yi Outlines Four Core Initiatives at the Seventh CICA Summit in Baku

Addressing the gathering in Azerbaijan's capital, Wang stated that Asia accounts for 60 percent of the global population and emphasized that the region's nations must unite under a shared future to manage escalating global transformations. Wang put forward four specific proposals during his speech.

First, he called for joint efforts to maintain peace and stability, stating that Asia rejects Cold War mentalities and bloc confrontation. Security must rest on a common, comprehensive, cooperative, and sustainable security concept.

Second, Wang urged members to drive shared prosperity by aligning high-quality Belt and Road cooperation with national development agendas. This involves protecting open trade, securing international transport corridors, and guaranteeing stable supplies of critical raw materials, energy resources, and food.

Third, he emphasized promoting mutual learning among diverse civilizations by upholding Asian values centered on peace, cooperation, openness, and inclusivity.

Fourth, he pressed for improvements to global governance by safeguarding the authority of the United Nations and the basic norms of international relations established in the UN Charter.

Azerbaijan’s Chairmanship and the Expansion of CICA Cooperation Mechanisms

Azerbaijani President Aliyev reviewed the country’s work during its two-year term as the rotating CICA chair, introducing new cooperation proposals to the delegates. Leaders from member states exchanged views on regional security, development, and the implementation of confidence-building measures, reaffirming their commitment to multilateralism and the protection of Global South interests. The summit concluded with the adoption and publication of the Seventh CICA Summit Declaration.

The summit also marked continued institutional growth for the forum. Established following a 1992 initiative by Kazakhstan at the 47th United Nations General Assembly, CICA has evolved across 34 years from a policy dialogue platform into an organization with expanding practical frameworks. The Sixth CICA Summit in 2022 initiated a transition process toward a full international organization, with a transformation roadmap adopted in 2023. The summit reviewed a draft decision to accept Laos as a member state, which would bring total membership to 29 nations if approved.

Bilateral Diplomacy on the Sidelines of the Baku Summit

Practical project financing under CICA mechanisms has expanded recently, including agricultural support in Afghanistan and youth climate action initiatives in Bangladesh. Alongside plenary sessions, Wang held a series of bilateral meetings in Baku. He met with Israeli President Herzog, Russian Foreign Minister Lavrov, Bahraini Foreign Minister Zayani, Turkish Foreign Minister Fidan, and Palestinian Foreign Minister Farshin, engaging in discussions with international dignitaries.