China held the first China-Central Asia Education Ministers' Meeting in Urumqi.

China continues to strengthen its influence in various areas of Central Asia, attracting significant attention for the holding of various international meetings and forums in East Turkistan, where ethnic persecution continues. Among these events was the first China-Central Asia Education Ministers' Meeting held in Urumqi on May 12.

According to news published on the official website of the Chinese Ministry of Education, the meeting was attended and addressed by Ma Xingru, Secretary of the Party Committee of the so-called "Uyghur Autonomous Region," Huai Jinping, Chinese Minister of Education, Wu Yan, Vice Minister of Education, and other Chinese representatives. Also attending from the Central Asian republics were the Kazakh Minister of Science and Higher Education, the Kazakh Minister of Education, the Kyrgyz Minister of Education and Science, the Tajik Minister of Education, the Turkmen Minister of Education, and the Uzbek Minister of Higher Education.

Ma Xingru reiterated familiar phrases at the meeting, claiming that China would take full advantage of East Turkistan's advantageous geographical location, deepen cooperation in higher education, science, and technology with Central Asian countries, promote mutual exchanges between universities in East Turkistan and universities in other countries, and expand international libraries. Education ministers from China and the Central Asian republics then delivered individual remarks.

The meeting approved the "Service System for the China-Central Asia Education Ministers' Meeting Mechanism" and the "Urumqi Declaration of the China-Central Asia Education Ministers' Meeting." The meeting also announced the establishment of the China-Central Asia Vocational Education Federation and the Central Asia Institute of World Teacher Development Academy. Furthermore, the China-Kazakhstan Institute of Leading Engineers' memorandum of association was signed. Furthermore, the establishment of a group of research cooperation organisations was announced.

The scope of China's cooperation with Central Asian countries is gradually expanding. On September 24, the meeting of the chief justices of China and Central Asian countries was also held in Urumqi. At the same time, Chinese courts claimed to have discussed with the heads of the courts of Central Asian countries deepening consultations and cooperation in combating the so-called "three forces," state-sponsored organised crime, and cybercrime, and maintaining regional security and stability. This time, China revealed its intention to further enhance its soft power by influencing the education sector in Central Asia.

Confucius Institutes and Chinese language courses are expanding in the Central Asian republics, while facing increasing restrictions in Western countries. According to information available on the official website of the Confucius Institutes, which work to enhance Chinese soft power and disinformation propaganda abroad, there are currently five Confucius Institutes in Kazakhstan, four in Kyrgyzstan, two in Uzbekistan, and two in Tajikistan.