Uzbek President Shavkat Mirziyoyev has approved an intergovernmental agreement with China on the mutual establishment of cultural centers, marking a new stage in humanitarian cooperation between the two countries.

The relevant decree was signed on February 5, 2026, completing Uzbekistan’s internal ratification procedures for the agreement that was originally concluded in Beijing on September 1, 2025, The Caspian Post reports via Uzbek media.

Under the document, the Uzbek Ministry of Culture has been designated as the competent body responsible for implementing the agreement. The Uzbek Foreign Ministry is expected to notify the Chinese side in the near future that all domestic procedures required for the agreement to enter into force have been completed.

The initiative to establish cultural centers forms part of a broader package of agreements signed during President Mirziyoyev’s state visit to China last autumn. At that time, the leaders of Uzbekistan and China agreed to align Uzbekistan’s national development strategy “Uzbekistan-2030” with China’s global “Belt and Road Initiative.”

Experts view the creation of cultural centers as a key tool for deepening humanitarian ties amid rapidly expanding economic cooperation. Beyond promoting national heritage, the centers are expected to serve as platforms for expanding Chinese language education in Uzbekistan, as China remains the country’s largest trading partner.