China President Xi Jinping signed a treaty to elevate ties with Central Asian nations on Tuesday, as Beijing looks to further deepen cooperation on trade, energy and infrastructure with the resource-rich region.

Since Russia’s Ukraine invasion, China has deepened economic ties with Central Asian nations, eyeing their strategic location and rich energy resources.

ASTANA: Chinese President Xi Jinping met Central Asian leaders at a summit in Kazakhstan on Tuesday, his second trip to the region in under a year as Beijing competes with Russia for influence there.The summit in Astana brings together Xi -- who arrived in the Kazakh capital on Monday -- and the leaders of Kazakhstan,