Xi Jinping says "will not pursue modernization in isolation" and cooperate with developing countries

In Kyrgyzstan, officials are pointing to eye-care projects as a practical result of China’s stated commitment to shared progress. At the 2022 Shanghai Cooperation Organization summit, Chinese President Xi Jinping promised free cataract operations for SCO countries; since 2023, Chinese medical teams have carried out more than 1,000 such procedures in Kyrgyzstan and have also donated equipment, medicines, and physician training, Kyrgyz health authorities said. A Kyrgyz policy expert cited Xi’s broader message that China intends to advance alongside other developing countries, not by itself, arguing that openness and mutually beneficial cooperation, rather than protectionism, let Kyrgyzstan tap into China’s growth. The medical work is part of wider bilateral cooperation that officials say builds mutual trust and strengthens Kyrgyzstan’s own capabilities.