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ON A STATE VISIT OF EMOMALI RAKHMONOV TO CHINA
SAIFULLO SAFAROV,
Expert with the Centre for Strategic Studies under the President of Tajikistan, Dushanbe
A series of economic issues have been solved during the Tajik President Emomali Rakhmonov’s state visit to China (January 15-21, 2007). The People’s Republic of China is Tajikistan’s close neighbor, faithful friend and dependable partner. And enhancing bilateral relations with China is one of the state priorities for the Tajik government.
Negotiations in Beijing resulted in signing six bilateral agreements, among which are the treaty on friendship, agreement on economic and technological cooperation, agreement on cooperation in the banking sphere, etc. Besides, Emomali Rakhmonov took part in a business forum with participation of over fifty Tajik enterprises and banks and their Chinese partners.
Tajikistan’s developing relations with China make some experts speak about the threat of China’s growing influence in the Central Asian region. Some even say that extended cooperation and rapprochement of Dushanbe with Beijing run counter to Russia’s interests in the region. This vision is totally wrong. China invests money basically into the sectors of Tajik economy where Russia’s interests are not represented. These are building highways, tunnels, hydro-electric power station (HPS) on the Zeravshan river (the Penjikent region), modernization of the railway network.
Money donated to Tajikistan by China under the Shanghai Cooperation Organization program ($60 mln) plus $30 mln as a grant and 70 mln yuans of gratuitous help are being spent on stabilizing country’s economy as well as on providing employment opportunities that will also minimize the flow of migrants to Russia. In this way further development of the Tajik – Chinese bilateral relations will both foster stability in Tajikistan and have positive outcome for Russia.
Allegations that Dushanbe is seeking to replace Russian investors by Chinese in the hydropower industry are also unjust to Tajikistan because the joint projects with China are located in another part of the country (on the Zeravshan river near the Uzbek town of Samarqand in the Penjikent region) that have nothing to do with the construction of the Rogun HPS on the Vahsh river – a project that is to be carried out jointly with Russia.
Tajikistan has no claims to the Russian part – we wait for the construction work to start. As for the Sangtuda HPS, we also have no complaints against Russia. The sides still have some unresolved economic and technical issues in the Rogun HPS that protract accomplishment of the project. I hope that Dushanbe and Moscow will manage to jointly resolve the disputed points.
Economic development in Tajikistan also positively influences the country’s neighbors – Uzbekistan and Kyrgyzstan. As soon as Tajikistan begins to produce cheap energy, it will be able to supply it to the neighboring states at a low price. Additional hydro energy will permit to reduce the use of the mineral fuel, thus minimizing ecological damage. This will also cement friendly relations of the neighboring nations. In my opinion Tajikistan’s economic development doesn’t pose any problems or threats to our neighbors.
As for the US reaction to the Tajik – Chinese cooperation, American diplomats and politicians are usually reserved about such issues. Washington refrains from making any statements about Tajikistan having new partners. The USA is interested in a stable Tajikistan with its economy developing dynamically, since stability in Tajikistan is a key to security in the whole Central Asian region. And all the international stakeholders are interested in strengthening the regional security in Central Asia.
January 22, 2007
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