China-Kyrgyzstan-Uzbekistan Railway to Boost Regional Trade and Investment - Uzbek President

Uzbek President Shavkat Mirziyoyev sent a greeting message to the participants of the groundbreaking ceremony for a railway that will connect China, Kyrgyzstan, and Uzbekistan, emphasizing its significance in promoting regional cooperation, The Caspian Post reports citing Interfax.

"A new transport artery of international significance is taking shape. Serving as the shortest land link between Central Asia and China, it will help expand multifaceted cooperation and bolster strategic partnership between our states," the Uzbek presidential press service quoted Mirziyoyev as saying on Friday.

The Uzbek leader said the new railway should have a major positive effect on the regional economies. "The commissioning of this railway should multiply regional trade and investment, considerably reduce transportation costs, and unleash huge transit potential of Central Asia," he said.

The integration of this rail line with the Trans-Afghan transport corridor in the future would effectively enhance interconnectivity between China, Central Asia, and South Asia, Mirziyoyev said. "Uzbekistan intends to actively engage in all stages of the railroad's construction, fully employing all available technical and intellectual resources," he said.