President Shavkat Mirziyoyev and Chinese President Xi Jinping held talks on the sidelines of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) summit in Bishkek, discussing ways to expand trade and economic cooperation. The two leaders proposed increasing bilateral trade turnover to $30 billion in the coming years, up from the current level of nearly $18 billion.
The negotiations covered investments, industrial cooperation, energy, transport, high technology, education, and humanitarian exchanges. To achieve the new trade target, Uzbekistan and China plan to increase mutual supplies of industrial and agricultural products. Uzbek enterprises were encouraged to participate more actively in trade exhibitions in China.
China's presence in Uzbekistan's economy is already significant: the portfolio of active joint investment projects is estimated at around $60 billion, and more than 6,000 enterprises with Chinese capital operate in the country. The sides intend to expand cooperation not only in investment volume but also in the number of areas. Promising projects have been identified in energy, chemicals, metallurgy, construction materials, food production, transport, infrastructure, agriculture, and high technology.
Specific growth points are seen in the digital economy, mining, and the development and processing of mineral resources. Chinese companies were invited to participate more actively in creating production facilities in joint industrial zones across Uzbekistan's regions. One of the most notable examples of technological cooperation remains the project with Chinese company BYD to produce electric vehicles. The sides supported further expansion of production capacities and an increase in the level of localization.
Energy partnership will also continue. Uzbekistan is interested in attracting Chinese companies to projects in traditional and alternative energy, as well as initiatives in peaceful atomic energy. Interest in expanding cooperation with leading Chinese financial institutions was also noted. Another major area is transport: Uzbekistan, China, and Kyrgyzstan continue to implement the strategic China–Kyrgyzstan–Uzbekistan railway project. The new route is expected to strengthen regional connectivity and become an important link in Eurasian transport infrastructure.
Interregional ties are expanding in parallel. All regions of Uzbekistan cooperate with Chinese provinces and implement joint projects. In May, the third regional forum was held in Xi'an. Humanitarian contacts are also set to develop. A visa-free regime is already in place between Uzbekistan and China, and the sides are now discussing expanding the geography of air traffic and increasing flight frequency between cities of the two countries.
In education, plans include continuing the work of the Luban Workshops and Confucius Institutes, expanding inter-university programs and joint educational projects in the regions. Uzbekistan is also interested in increasing quotas for its youth to study in China and further promoting the study of the Chinese language. In culture, Days of Uzbek Culture are planned to be held in China by the end of the year. The sides also intend to prepare a program of cultural events for 2027–2029 and continue work on opening Cultural Centers of Uzbekistan and China.
New opportunities for interaction are seen in space exploration, which the sides called a promising area for further cooperation. Political contacts will also be strengthened. Uzbekistan and China agreed to continue strategic dialogue between foreign ministries and develop inter-parliamentary ties. Uzbekistan reaffirmed its support for the One-China policy.
Next year marks the 35th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between the two countries. In this regard, Mirziyoyev and Xi Jinping proposed preparing a separate program of events for this date. The leaders also discussed the China–Central Asia format and preparations for its third summit, to be held in China next year. At the end of the talks, Shavkat Mirziyoyev invited Xi Jinping to visit Uzbekistan.
Source: podrobno.uz