China-Kyrgyzstan-Uzbekistan Railway to Accelerate Kyrgyzstan’s Economic Growth, Says Japarov

Kyrgyz President Sadyr Japarov stated that the China-Kyrgyzstan-Uzbekistan railway project underscores the deep political trust shared by the three countries, The Caspian Post reports citing Interfax.

"The construction of the China-Kyrgyzstan-Uzbekistan railroad confirms the high level of political trust and is meant to become the strategic flagship project of our countries, reviving the Silk Road in the present," Japarov said in an interview with China's Xinhua news agency.

This railway will help deliver cargos from China to Kyrgyzstan, to countries of Central Asia and the Middle East, Turkey, Europe and even to farther destinations, he said.

"It will allow our cargos to reach South and Southeast Asia. This project benefits Kyrgyzstan in many ways," he said.

Mutually advantageous Kyrgyz-Chinese investment projects will give impetus to Kyrgyzstan's economic development, Japarov said.

"The construction of this railroad will speed up the country's economic development. This project's implementation will bolster our role as a transit hub on the Eurasian continent. We expect cargo traffic to increase considerably. This project will ensure the development of our country's regions. The new infrastructure will accelerate the development of trade, tourism and industry and improve transport access to hard-to-reach areas. Thousands of jobs will be created at all stages of the railroad's construction and operation, impacting the socioeconomic situation in the country in the most favorable way," he said.

Construction of the China-Kyrgyzstan-Uzbekistan railway began on December 27, 2024. It will be 523 kilometers long, including 305 kilometers on Kyrgyz territory.

The agreement on building this railway was signed in Beijing on June 6, 2024. Kyrgyzstan ratified the railway construction agreement with China and Uzbekistan on June 27. According to the agreement, the China-Kyrgyzstan-Uzbekistan railway will go through Kashgar (China), Torugart (on the Kyrgyz-Chinese border), Makmal (Kyrgyzstan), Jalalabad (Kyrgyzstan) and Andijan (Uzbekistan).

Experts estimate the annual cargo transportation by this railway at up to 15 million tonnes. The delivery time to end users will decrease by seven days, compared to the existing routes. The project includes creating transit and logistics infrastructure, warehouses and terminals.

It is tentatively estimated to cost around $8 billion.