WNAM Monitoring: Tashkent hosted an international conference on “Comprehensive Strategic Partnership between China and Uzbekistan in a New Era”.
The event was organized by the Institute of Strategic and Regional Studies under the President of the Republic of Uzbekistan and the Institute for Social Development of Europe and Asia at the Development Research Center of the State Council of the People’s Republic of China.
The conference, organized in preparation for important upcoming bilateral events, was attended by representatives of political and diplomatic circles of Uzbekistan and China and employees of leading analytical centers.
First Deputy Director of the Institute for Strategic and Regional Studies under the President of the Republic of Uzbekistan Akramjon Nematov and Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the People’s Republic of China to Uzbekistan Yu Jun noted that mutually beneficial cooperation between the two countries has been successfully developing for more than 30 years. This is facilitated by intensive political dialogue at the highest level, friendly and trusting relations between the heads of the two states. In particular, since 2017, the leaders of Uzbekistan and China have held three telephone conversations and eight meetings. President of the People’s Republic of China Xi Jinping paid a state visit to Uzbekistan in 2022. President Shavkat Mirziyoyev visited China in 2017, 2019, 2022 and 2023.
As noted at the event, following mutual state visits in 2022 and 2023, almost 60 documents were signed on implementing investment agreements and trade contracts worth $40 billion.
The “Central Asia-PRC” format at the level of heads of state has become a new platform for cooperation between China and Central Asian countries.
At the invitation of the Chairman of the People’s Republic of China Xi Jinping, President Shavkat Mirziyoyev participated in the international Belt and Road forums three times and put forward the initiative to create the Green Silk Road.
Speakers at the conference noted that trade, economic, and investment cooperation between the two countries has shown steady growth in recent years.
“The conference is of particular importance”, Ambassador Yu Jun says. “Last year, cooperation between our countries reached a very high level. China has become a leading trading partner and major investor in Uzbekistan’s economy. In 2022, the trade turnover amounted to almost $9 billion and almost doubled compared to 2017. In 2023, the trade turnover increased by 34% and exceeded $12 billion. The total volume of Chinese investment in your country has increased fivefold to nearly $11 billion, and the number of enterprises with Chinese capital has tripled”.
Experts informed about the main projects being implemented between the two countries, the conditions created for Chinese investors, cooperation in green energy, oil and gas, and chemical industries, IT industry, hydropower, light industry, automotive industry, and production of building materials.
At the event, special attention was paid to another promising area of Uzbekistan – China cooperation – digital development. Considering China’s rich experience and achievements in this direction, Uzbekistan is interested in enhancing cooperation in digitalization and e-commerce.
The event participants noted the importance of raising bilateral cooperation to a higher level and emphasized that the development of relations between Uzbekistan and China must continue.
