Assistance in the amount of 3.7 billion USD will be provided by China to the countries of Central Asia. This was announced on Friday by Chinese President Xi Jinping at the China-Central Asia summit in Xi'an, RIA Novosti reports.

"China will provide 26 billion yuan (3.7 billion USD) in financial assistance and free support to Central Asian countries to help China's cooperation with Central Asian countries, as well as the development of Central Asian countries," Xinhua news agency quoted Xi Jinping as saying.

The Chinese leader also said that he would encourage Chinese companies that do business in Central Asia to create more jobs in the region.

It should be noted that the China-Central Asia summit is being held in the Chinese city of Xi'an under the chairmanship of Xi Jinping. It is also attended by the leaders of Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Uzbekistan and Turkmenistan.

President Serdar Berdimuhamedov is visiting the People's Republic of China for the second time this year. In January, he paid a state visit to this country, during which 15 cooperation documents were signed. And the day before, he held talks with Chinese President Xi Jinping, as a result of which another package of documents on cooperation was signed.