Tashkent, Uzbekistan (UzDaily.com) -- This year the 5th anniversary of the establishment of a comprehensive strategic partnership between China and Uzbekistan is marked. Both countries should develop cooperation at a deeper and broader level, looking for new and promising growth points in it, said Sun Zhuangzhi, director of the Institute for Russia, Eastern Europe and Central Asia, Academy of Social Sciences of China / AOC / Sun Zhuangzhi, Xinhua News Agency reported.

He made that announcement on Wednesday, speaking at an international videoconference entitled “China and Uzbekistan: Increasing Exchanges and Mutual Learning, Deepening Partnerships,” which was attended by representatives of research institutions and government bodies from both sides.

Sun Zhuangzhi noted that developing bilateral cooperation at a deeper level means the need to strengthen its social and humanitarian basis, stimulate mutual understanding between the peoples of the two countries, as well as strengthen cooperation in such areas as finance, poverty alleviation, improving the efficiency of public administration and combating corruption by conducting comparative analysis and learning from each other's successful experience.

As for the development of Chinese-Uzbek cooperation on a broader level, according to Sun Zhuangzhi, it is necessary to expand the space of strategic cooperation between the two countries, strengthening contacts and coordination. Since the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic, new and complex changes have taken place in the international architectonics, as well as an increase in the number of different challenges. The parties need to jointly maintain regional stability through cooperation.

As noted by Xu Poling, a researcher at the Institute of Russia, Eastern Europe and Central Asia, the Chinese market has great potential. He believes that manufacturing, digital and green economy, agriculture, and energy should become key areas of cooperation between China and Uzbekistan.

According to representatives of the Uzbek side, the countries can contribute to strengthening interconnection on a larger scale within the Belt and Road and promote the implementation of more bilateral and multilateral projects in transport, infrastructure and other areas. 

The videoconference participants also discussed issues related to the reform of the financial and tax system, the promotion of policies to combat poverty in rural areas, the construction of an anti-corruption mechanism, the effective functioning of the SCO's role as a platform, etc.

The event was jointly organized by the Institute for Russia, Eastern Europe and Central Asia, AOC, the Chinese Embassy in Uzbekistan and the Institute for Strategic and Interregional Studies under the President of the Republic of Uzbekistan.