The Republic of Tajikistan initiated its diplomatic relations with all countries after gaining independence in 1991. Step by step the country enhanced its friendly cooperation by creating a school of peace and people prosperity initiatives. Consequently the public diplomacy of the country through its cultural exchanges uses art, ideas, and information to foster mutual understanding and interest between world nations and their citizens. It goes beyond government initiatives, engaging in culture, science, education, and content creation to advance a nation’s interests abroad. Significantly, it promotes regional and global peace and stability among the countries’ of the world.
In reality the freedom and peaceful friendly relations between states considered the main conditions for the political, social and economic development of the states. The states needed to strive in order to achieve their main goals and progressive projected targets accordingly. By such way, each country carries out and implements its priority programs by signing bilaterally, trilaterally or jointly agreements consequently.
The diplomatic relations of Tajikistan with its neighboring countries, especially China established on January 4, 1992 opening their embassies on March 13, 1992 and April 7, 1997 in Dushanbe and Beijing accordingly.
Timely, both countries have introduced each other’s ambassadors and strengthened neighborhood relations and diplomatic relations. The heads of the state, especially the President of the Republic of Tajikistan, His Excellency Emomali Rahmon visited China during Independence times of the country providing progressive neighborhood relations, evolving strategic programs among both friendly states.
Hence the heads of state signed a treaty of friendship and cooperation adopting “Friends forever, enemies never” as main motto of the friendly peaceful China-Tajikistan comprehensive strategic partnership in the new era. The important political, economic, social and cultural documents signed laying the foundations for relations between the two friendly neighboring countries. As friendly neighborhood countries Tajikistan and China incorporated themselves as progressive strategic partners promoting global peace, people prosperity and regional cooperation. Both neighbors respect each other’s freedom and law policies working jointly on bilateral and multilateral agreed plans adore the priorities of their foreign policy laws.
Tajikistan and China are indeed considered the greatest countries in the world and one is full of natural resources and the other is demeanor of a great global power player together as friendly neighboring states making greater contributions to world peace, people prosperity and development.
The Treaty on Good-Neighborly Relations, Friendship and Cooperation between the Republic of Tajikistan and the People’s Republic of China dated January 15, 2007. But the systematic official visits of the heads of the state based on friendly neighborhood relations, the results of the signed documents and the level of cooperation for global peace and people prosperity which raised the comprehensive strategic partnership between both compassionate countries. It is considered one of the best models of peaceful friendly neighborhood cooperative country coordinating for the regional stability and global people prosperity. One of the priority tasks for both friendly neighboring countries is to eliminate regional threats combating terrorism, extremism, separatism, and illegal drug trafficking jointly.
Consequently, the Chairman of the National Assembly of the Supreme People’s Assembly of the Republic of Tajikistan, His Excellency Rustam Emomali visited China strengthening inter-parliamentary relations between both states, enriching the content of bilateral relations, and further strengthening friendly relations and comprehensive strategic partnership. During the talks, a wide range of issues of friendly relations, good-neighborly relations, and cooperation between the Republic of Tajikistan and the People’s Republic of China within the framework of comprehensive strategic partnership were discussed. The Friendship and Cooperation Group between the parliaments of the Republic of Tajikistan and the People’s Republic of China established for public diplomacy development.
It is worth to note that the mechanism of political consultations between two countries has been well established and various legal documents have been signed hereafter. Subsequently the Joint Statement of the Heads of State of the Republic of Tajikistan and the People’s Republic of China on the Establishment of Strategic Partnership Relations adopted as the main documents for the economic and trade cooperation between the two countries. China is neighbor state of Tajikistan and one of the major economy investors and trading partners of the country.
It should be noted that the fruitful results of the past three decade’s cooperation between Tajikistan and China provided planned developing relations between both states raising the level of a comprehensive strategic partnership admirably. Tajikistan and China are active members of global and regional organizations and forums such as UN, CICA, and SCO help them to enhance their joint working partnership regional projects such as “One Belt, One Road”. The regional active cooperation in framework of various projects yielded fruitful results and greatly enhanced connectivity and social and economic development between both countries. As a result of it Tajikistan and China cultural ties considered very important rooted since ancient times in the framework of historical Silk Route. Accordingly China’s people-to-people and cultural exchanges under the framework of the Belt and Road Initiative, the Confucius Institutes and the China-Tajikistan Center for Traditional Medicine have boosted cultural encounters between both states.
The printing and mass media including radio, television, and social networks also play key role for close cooperation between the states. In the modern times the experiences of China in using technology considered very important for developing countries of the world especially Tajikistan.
Currently the Chinese film and television industry become a thriving and developed advertising agency and most of its produce programs related to people’s social lives run by professional specialists such as screenwriters, producers, directors, cameramen, sound directors, editors, and designers. Thus, every year the development of television and cinema in China is seen and it is gaining fame and gaining its status in the world.
Thus Tajikistan’s cultural ties in the field of cinema and the development of television and radio programs with China are needed. It creates solid basis for presenting the countries’ tourism destinations and increases the development of the economy and trade between both states.
The cultural events such as “Tajikistan Cultural Day”, “Season of Foreign Exhibitions of Outstanding Films and Television Dramas”in Beiging and Dushanbe cities with active participation of people from various field of life is one of the main achievements of the bilateral cooperation providing the solid basis for the development of cultural diplomacy between both friendly neighboring countries.
China’s rich experience in the use of all types of technology, especially in the field of film production and processing will help to strengthen cooperation, reflecting the development of regional trade and economy and people prosperity.
Thus, the diplomatic relations especially and economical and cultural cooperation between Tajikistan and China are very important and will support the development of people-to-people diplomacy.
The regional cooperation between both states will build up a major public diplomacy providing the steps using the modern technology of Chinese field’s familiarity. All these efforts and initiatives are necessary for both countries to become more familiar with each other’s folk traditions, respect each other’s cultures, and live in peace and harmony.
In summary Tajikistan and China friendly neighborhood diplomacy will provide global peace and people prosperity coordination. It will help regional states especially South Asia and Central Asia as active members of UN, SCO and CICA exchanging constructive friendly peaceful ideas, organizing festivals and films exhibitions, field discovery trips to each other’s countries and peoples, and develop trade and tourism.
In this context, the regional countries especially South Asian including India and Pakistan as active members of the UN, SCO and CICA recommended to follow Tajikistan PEACE model and friendly neighborhood partnership module to promote people peace prosperity, expend economic extension; activate approved agreements, cooperating constantly to eliminate evils of society conjointly.
The appropriate use of region widespread energy, natural resources and industrial integration can reduce conflicts accordingly.
It is worth to note that Tajikistan global initiatives and China economy and technology advancement will ripen regional bilateral and multilateral relations promoting peace and people prosperity in all spheres of life. This can be seen as the main wealth of the countries which will finance the adopted project and strengthen economic, trade, and cultural relations accordingly.
With its implementation, economic exchanges between countries will increase, and the revival of the “Silk Route”. China is considered one of the strategic partners of the Republic of Tajikistan investing in various priority economic sectors, including industry, roads and highways. The visits of heads of state, the meeting of the leaders of the two countries on the sidelines of the UN, CICA and SCO Summit and forums will construct a foundation for the development of friendly peaceful-neighborhood and improve public diplomacy.
Finally, it should be emphasized that Tajikistan and China neighborhood diplomacy within the framework of the UN, SCO, OSCE and other international and regional organizations considers very important. Both states will continue the spirit of friendship and neighborhood diplomacy for the prosperity of people’s support and their rights protection. Both states as friendly neighbor always maintain stability, develop economy, and grow trade and tourism promoting global peace and people prosperity.
Rahmonov Mirsaid is a Senior Researcher at the South East Asian Department, Tajikistan Institute of Asian and European Studies.
