14 March 2025 - Astana -The Ambassador of the People’s Republic of China to Kazakhstan, H.E. Mr. Han Chunlin, paid an official visit to the Secretariat of the Conference on Interaction and Confidence Building Measures in Asia (CICA) and held a meeting with CICA Secretary General H.E. Ambassador Kairat Sarybay.
The meeting focused on current priorities of CICA’s agenda, upcoming initiatives and a reflection on China’s significant contribution to the CICA process during its Chairmanship from 2014 to 2018.
A key highlight of the visit was the official handover of China’s instrument of ratification of the CICA Convention on Privileges and Immunities, marking a pivotal step toward the Convention’s entry into force. By ratifying this foundational document, China further solidifies its role in strengthening CICA’s institutional and legal frameworks. With the most recent ratifications by Bangladesh, China, Jordan, Pakistan, Tajikistan and Palestine in only two years, the number of Member States that have ratified the Convention has reached thirteen, leaving only one ratification required for the Convention to come into effect.
In addition, a dedicated ceremony was held to commemorate China’s voluntary financial contribution to the CICA Secretariat’s budget, reaffirming China’s position as one of the largest and most consistent donors to CICA. This contribution reflects China’s enduring commitment to ensuring the financial stability and operational capacity of the CICA Secretariat, thereby enabling the organization to effectively fulfill its growing mandate.
Ambassador Kairat Sarybay conveyed his appreciation to the Government of the People’s Republic of China for its steadfast partnership and continued support for CICA’s development and transformation, emphasizing China’s indispensable role as a key stakeholder in promoting peace, stability and multilateral cooperation across Asia.
Ambassador Han Chunlin, in turn, reaffirmed that China, as a founding member of CICA, fully supports the ongoing transformation of CICA into a full-fledged international organization, and will continue to contribute actively to enhancing CICA’s capacity to foster dialogue, confidence and cooperation throughout Asia.
