ALMATY, Kazakhstan, June 11, 2025 (BSS/AFP) - Kazakhstan announced on Wednesday that China's President Xi Jinping would visit the country next week for a summit alongside former Soviet Central Asian partners.

Xi is expected to arrive in Astana on June 16 for bilateral meetings before the Central Asia-China summit the following day, Kazakhstan's presidency said.

The heads of state of Kyrgyzstan, Uzbekistan, Tajikistan and Turkmenistan will also attend.

It will be the second such summit, two years after the first.

China is in competition with Russia -- the former colonial power in Central Asia -- for influence in the vast region, which is almost as big as the European Union but with a total population of just 80 million people.

Central Asia is an important strategic target for China in its Belt and Road initiative -- which uses huge infrastructure investments as a political and diplomatic lever.

The region is rich in natural resources and Chinese investment could facilitate trade with Europe.

The five Central Asian republics have been trying to reduce their dependence on Russia and increase partnerships with other countries.

That move has accelerated since Russia invaded Ukraine in February 2022.