Uzbekistan, Tajikistan Launch Pilot Cargo Route to China

Uzbekistan and Tajikistan have launched a pilot project for international cargo shipments to China, marking a major step in regional trade cooperation.

Under the initiative, a convoy of 10 fully loaded trucks will travel from Uzbekistan through Tajikistan to China, The Caspian Post reports via Uzbek media.

The agreement was reached during talks between Transport Ministers Ilhom Mahkamov and Azim Ibrohim. Authorities are also exploring shipments via the new China-Tajikistan-Uzbekistan-Turkmenistan-Iran-Türkiye-Europe multimodal corridor, with electronic permits for international cargo.

To support the corridor, measures are being taken to expand the Jartepa-Sarazm border crossing in Urgut district, Samarkand region. A new logistics center near the checkpoint will serve up to 100 trucks per day, alongside a diagnostic center for 150-200 people and a shopping complex for 800 entrepreneurs. Tajik citizens will be able to access commercial and medical services without passport control or extra documentation.

The commission is also considering increasing the number of international road transport permits and converting them to electronic format to streamline cross-border trade further.

This project builds on the corridor first presented at the 2022 International Logistics Development Conference in Dushanbe and aims to enhance trade efficiency and connectivity across Central Asia and beyond.