Uzbekistan National News Agency has published an article highlighting the successful development of relations between Uzbekistan and China in 2024. The Caspian Post reprints the article.
Thanks to the active foreign policy pursued by the President of Uzbekistan in recent years, the number of countries wishing to take relations with Uzbekistan to a higher level is increasing. It should also be noted that the interaction between Uzbekistan and China is expanding, reaching new historical heights.
The outgoing year was rich in historical events in relations between Uzbekistan and China. The agreements reached during the negotiations during the state visit of the Head of state to this country at the beginning of the year brought the partnership in many areas to a qualitatively new level. Cooperation in the economic field has especially expanded, with the volume of trade increasing every year. For example, in the first 11 months of 2024, this figure reached $12.34 billion. The scale of investments Chinese entrepreneurs make in the country’s economy is expanding, and the number of joint ventures in various industries is regularly increasing.
As is known, many large joint investment projects with China are currently being implemented in Uzbekistan in such important areas as high technology, alternative energy, chemistry, mechanical engineering, metallurgy, electrical engineering, and infrastructure modernization.
Trusting friendly dialogues between the heads of state - President Shavkat Mirziyoyev and the President of the People’s Republic of China Xi Jinping - are increasingly crucial in strengthening relations.
In particular, due to high-level negotiations during the state visit of the President of Uzbekistan to China in January, important documents were signed to strengthen the strategic partnership between Uzbekistan and China.
The President of Uzbekistan also held a dialogue with the heads of the government and parliament of China and received the heads of large industrial corporations and banks. These meetings serve to strengthen existing relations. Moreover, the same good intentions were voiced at the Uzbekistan - China Investment Forum, which took place on the second day of the visit.
Soon after, in February, an international conference with the participation of representatives of the two countries started in Tashkent. The event participants noted that the interaction of the heads of state and the signed documents brought bilateral relations to an unprecedentedly high level.
Another of the significant economic cooperation events of the outgoing year is the signing of an agreement to construct the China - Kyrgyzstan - Uzbekistan railway.
On June 6, President Shavkat Mirziyoyev in a video address to the participants of the ceremony, said that this important infrastructure project is a historic event aimed at strengthening economic and transport ties in the region:
- This railway will connect the Central Asian region with China by the shortest land route. In the future, the connection of this railway line and the Trans-Afghan Corridor will effectively connect and strengthen the transport and communication connectivity of China, Central and South Asia.
This project, which is essential not only for Uzbekistan, but also for the entire region, will help solve logistics problems of strategic importance. In particular, according to experts, the annual volume of cargo transportation on the new railway could reach 15 million tons, and the delivery time to end consumers would be reduced by almost a week. In addition, a modern transit and logistics infrastructure, warehouses, and terminals will be created.
Shavkat Mirziyoyev, continuing to speak about the project, noted: “I believe that the new railway will contribute to further enhancing multifaceted cooperation and strengthening the strategic partnership of our states”.
As a logical continuation of efforts to develop relations, the Uzbekistan delegation took part in the opening ceremony of the Eighth International Expo “China - Eurasia” in June in Urumqi. The event was attended by honorary guests - the heads of government of Uzbekistan and Kyrgyzstan, deputy prime ministers of Tajikistan and Kazakhstan, and more than 40 foreign representatives.
It is known that Shavkat Mirziyoyev left for Astana on July 3 to participate in the regular meeting of the Council of Heads of State of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization and the meeting in the SCO+ format. As part of this practical visit, the President of Uzbekistan talked with the President of the People’s Republic of China Xi Jinping. As expected, during the dialogue, it was noted with particular satisfaction that the agreements reached at the beginning of the year are being consistently implemented. In recent years, significant progress has been achieved in all areas of partnership.
It is also worth paying attention to the development of inter-parliamentary cooperation. In particular, in July, a delegation led by the Chairman of the Standing Committee of the National People’s Congress of China Zhao Leji visited Uzbekistan.
Receiving distinguished guests, President Shavkat Mirziyoyev noted with great satisfaction that in recent years, friendship and comprehensive strategic partnership between Uzbekistan and China have reached a high level. At the meeting, confidence was expressed that the results of effective high-level negotiations held as part of the SCO Summit in Astana will give a new impetus to enhancing multilateral cooperation between the two countries.
As we all know, at the initiative of the Head of state, a poverty reduction program has been adopted in Uzbekistan, and essential work is being carried out within the framework of the implementation of this document. At the meeting, Zhao Leji said that China firmly supports the socio-economic reforms in Uzbekistan, especially the poverty reduction program, and plans to adopt strategic cooperation programs in infrastructure development, industrial cooperation, agriculture, and green energy.
In conclusion, we note that China’s achievements amaze people worldwide. Over the past decade, the country has become a powerful world power, has achieved tremendous scientific, technological, and innovative progress, and has created a unique ecosystem for developing the economy and business. This is what the President of Uzbekistan said about this: “Every time I visit China, I sincerely admire the scale of the reforms taking place here and the success achieved, the creative power, hard work, and talent of the Chinese people, who are confidently moving along the path of modernization to the realization of their centuries-old dream”.
