President Xi Jinping shakes hands with President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev of Kazakhstan on Wednesday afternoon in Xi’an, Northwest China’s Shaanxi province. Photo: Liu Bin/Xinhua

Tokayev attends a signing ceremony during his meeting with Xi. Tokayev arrived in Xi’an on Wednesday afternoon for the China-Central Asia Summit. The summit kicks off on Thursday. Photo: IC Photo

Kyrgyz President Sadyr Japarov and his wife Aigul Asanbaeva landed at the Xi’an Xianyang International Airport Wednesday for the summit. Photo: IC Photo

Tajik President Emomali Rahmon arrived in Xi’an on Wednesday. Photo: Xinhua

President Serdar Berdimuhamedov of Turkmenistan walks down the red carpet after landing at the airport Thursday morning. Photo: Xing Guangli/Xinhua

Uzbek President Shavkat Mirziyoyev (center) and his wife Ziroatkhon Hoshimova leave the airport early Thursday under the company of Hu Heping (second from the right), China’s Minister of Culture and Tourism. Photo: Li Yibo/Xinhua

A warm welcome is prepared for Mirziyoyev and his wife at the Xi’an Xianyang International Airport. Photo: VCG

An electronic screen near Xi’an’s Giant Wild Goose Pagoda displayed a promotional message for the China-Central Asia Summit on Tuesday. Photo: Zhang Yuan/China News Service, VCG