Tashkent, Uzbekistan (UzDaily.com) — An opening ceremony of the "China-Kyrgyzstan-Uzbekistan Railway Company" took place in Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan.

The event was attended by the Minister of Transport of Uzbekistan Ilkhom Makhkamov, as well as representatives from Kyrgyzstan and China.

Chairman of the Cabinet of Ministers of the Kyrgyz Republic, Akylbek Japarov, emphasized the importance of this railway for the entire Central Asian region.

He described the project as the "construction of the century," which will elevate economic interaction between China and Central Asian countries to a new level.

Japarov stressed that the implementation of the "China-Kyrgyzstan-Uzbekistan" railway will facilitate the deepening of trade and economic cooperation between Kyrgyzstan, China, and Uzbekistan, and will become part of the Great Silk Road.

The head of the Cabinet noted that significant work had been done on the way to this historic event, but many tasks remain ahead. He expressed confidence that, relying on the experience of Chinese and Uzbek colleagues, the project would be completed with high quality and on time.

It was previously reported that in the new company, China’s share will be 51%, while Kyrgyzstan and Uzbekistan will each hold 24.5%. Uzbekistan will allocate US$255 million to form its share in the authorized capital of the "China-Kyrgyzstan-Uzbekistan" railway project company.

The cooperation agreement for the implementation of the "China-Kyrgyzstan-Uzbekistan" railway project was signed on 6 June 2024, between the government of China, the Cabinet of Ministers of Kyrgyzstan, and the government of Uzbekistan.

The railway route will traverse mountainous terrain and connect Kashgar, Torugart, Makmal, Jalal-Abad, and Andijan. The length of the line will be 486 km.

Construction is set to begin in October 2024, and it is expected that by 2050, the annual cargo volume on the new railway will reach 13.5 million tons. This will reduce the delivery time for goods by 7 days, bringing Uzbekistan an economic benefit from cargo transit of US$150-200 million annually.

The project will significantly enhance export-import relations for Uzbekistan and neighboring countries, providing new transit opportunities. Additionally, the new railway will grant Central Asia access to the Pacific Ocean through China and to the Persian Gulf.

The design and construction of the railway will be carried out by the Chinese company China Railway International.