Azimov is in China to attend a meeting of heads of central banks and finance ministers from Shanghai Cooperation Organization member countries, Xinhua reported.

China and Uzbekistan, Meng said, enjoy increasingly close mutual political trust, expanding practical cooperation and fruitful cooperation on law enforcement.

The two countries also firmly support each other on important issues concerning their core interests, he noted.

As this year marks the 20th anniversary of the establishment of bilateral diplomatic ties, China will take the opportunity to give full play to continuously deepening cooperation and pushing forward bilateral ties, promised Meng, the Chinese chairman of the China-Uzbekistan intergovernmental committee of cooperation.

Azimov, who is the Uzbek chairman of the committee, said Uzbekistan values the relationship and views developing ties with China as one of its diplomatic priorities.

Uzbekistan stands ready to give full play to the committee and cement bilateral practical cooperation, he added.