Accompanied by Kazakh President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev, Chinese President Xi Jinping's visit was marked by ceremonial honours, including a fighter jet escort and a vibrant display of national pride.

Chinese President Xi Jinping has arrived in Kazakhstan for talks with Central Asian leaders, providing a counterpoint to a Group of Seven summit by visiting a vast region at the nexus of competing interests from Washington to Beijing.

On Monday, Xi was greeted by Kazakh President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev and other senior officials at the airport in Astana. The Astana summit follows the inaugural May 2023 China–Central Asia Summit, which was held in Xi’an, the capital city of China’s Shaanxi province.