23-25 March – Beijing-Boao, China – Ahead of the Boao Forum for Asia Annual Conference 2026 in Hainan, Secretary General of the Conference on Interaction and Confidence Building Measures in Asia Ambassador Kairat Sarybay paid a working visit to Beijing and held high-level meetings at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of China.
During extensive consultations with the Assistant Foreign Minister Liu Bin Secretary General Kairat Sarybay expressed appreciation to the Chinese Government for Beijing’s enduring role in CICA growth since its establishment.
Parties discussed CICA’s institutional evolution and reviewed the current agenda and developments, including priorities of the Azerbaijani Chairmanship and preparations to the 7th Summit set to be held in Baku on 15 October 2026. The counterparts acknowledged the establishment of CICA Women Council in the year of the 30th Anniversary of the Beijing declaration on women rights, and recalled the Finance Summit and the Think Tank Forum – the institutional bodies China pioneered during its Chairmanship in CICA in 2014-2018 which were later transformed into permanent advisory organs as part of the ongoing institutional strengthening of the organization.
Assistant Foreign Minister Mr. Liu Bin expressed the support for implementation of the priorities and initiatives of the current Chairmanship. He underscored the importance of CICA’s shift to a full-fledged international organization and adoption of the Charter as key milestone in its transformation.
Ambassador Sarybay highlighted China’s significant support for ensuring organization’s operational capacity through voluntary financial contributions and staff secondment. Particular words of appreciation were shared for providing solar panels and a work of art featuring CICA logo as gifts to the Headquarters in Astana.
Central to negotiations with the Special Representative of the Chinese Government on Eurasian Affairs, Ambassador Sun Linjiang was CICA’s role in consolidating Asian consensus.
Secretary General Kairat Sarybay emphasized that Global Initiatives, put forward by President Xi Jinping, are aiming at strengthening multilateralism and UN-centred international order, and CICA can benefit from implementation of these initiatives.
Special Representative of the Chinese Government on Eurasian Affairs, H.E. Ambassador Sun Linjiang noted that the ongoing institutional transformation represents CICA’s evolving role as a solid pan-Asian platform for practical and multifaceted cooperation.
The negotiations reiterated the importance of synchronized efforts of CICA Member States in practical implementation of the Confidence Building Measures to ensure that CICA’s growth translates into tangible benefits for all regional partners.
CICA Secretary General, Ambassador Kairat Sarybay participated in the Boao Forum for Asia Annual Conference 2026 entitled "Shaping the Future Together: New Trends, New Opportunities and New Cooperation”.
Delivering a statement at the session “Strengthening Cooperation among Regional Organizations to Forge Synergy in Policy Coordination”, CICA Secretary General noted that while Asia remains a major force for global growth, the region’s future positioning will depend on the strength of its cooperative institutions.
Here, Ambassador highlighted CICA’s unmatched geographical coverage and comprehensive agenda, as well as its ongoing historic transformation into a full-fledged international organization. Through this evolution, CICA aims at bolstering multilateral collaboration and strengthening Asia’s role on the global stage.
Secretary General also addressed the special session “Boao Forum for Asia 25th Anniversary – Review and Prospect” – celebrating a quarter-century of Forum’s dedicated efforts to foster dialogue and build Asian consensus.
In his speech, Ambassador Sarybay reflected on how Boao wisdom, that promotes Asian approach to shared prosperity, echoes CICA vision for regional engagement – anchored in mutual trust, consensus, and confidence building.
In this regard, with aspiration to encourage greater cooperation between regional organizations across the continent, he shared the idea of hosting a gathering of the executive structures of international organizations in Asia at the Astana Headquarters this June perfectly coinciding with celebration of the 20th Anniversary of CICA Secretariat.
On the sidelines of the Boao Forum, CICA Secretary General held series of talks with forum participants.
The recent developments in West Asia and their broader impact on regional stability and global economy were addressed during a meeting with the Secretary General of Economic Cooperation Organization Dr. Asad Khan.
The executives agreed that, in current geopolitical realities, the role of international organizations as essential platforms for dialogue has become increasingly vital, and thus they should remain mutually reinforcing and well-coordinated. In this context, head of ECO highlighted the immediate relevance of the upcoming gathering of international organizations in Astana this June.
During the meetings with Danilo Türk, former President of Slovenia, and Volkan Bozkir, President of the 75th UN General Assembly, interlocutors indicated the capacity of CICA in bridging the diverse regions of Asia. It was also noted that, beyond its role in regional connectivity, CICA is building up the capacity to drive international mediation efforts, providing space for facilitating communication among parties in dispute.
In an engaging dialogue with Kirill Babayev, Director of the Institute of China and Contemporary Asia of the Russian Academy of Sciences, the sides discussed the range of agenda items of the of CICA Think Tank Forum.
Ambassador Sarybay shared insights on discussions during the Boao Forum for Asia and spoke about the importance of dialogue and regional integration essential for Asia’s resilience in an interview with CGTN: https://news.cgtn.com/news/2026-03-25/VHJhbnNjcmlwdDg5ODA1/index.html
Full statements by CICA Secretary General, Ambassador Kairat Sarybay at the BFA Annual Conference 2026 available at: https://www.s-cica.org/index.php?view=page&t=speeches
