Tashkent, Uzbekistan (UzDaily.com) —  Former Tashkent khokim and entrepreneur Jahongir Artykhodjaev shared his thoughts on Uzbekistan’s potential accession to the World Trade Organization (WTO). On 29 November, he spoke at a meeting with young entrepreneurs as part of the "Tashkent Loves Youth" month.

During the discussion, concerns were raised about whether joining the WTO would lead to an influx of high-quality and cheap foreign goods into the Uzbek market, which could potentially displace local producers. Artykhodjaev dismissed these fears as unfounded.

“Let’s take the United States as an example — a country that is a WTO member. When Donald Trump became president, he announced a 25% tariff increase on goods from Mexico and Canada, and a 10% tariff on products from China. This contradicted WTO principles. However, he took these steps to protect the U.S. market. Joining the WTO does not mean our entrepreneurs will be left unprotected, and strategically important enterprises will not be under threat,” Artykhodjaev noted.

He also emphasized that many countries use various mechanisms to protect their markets. As an example, he cited the export situation: “If you import a refrigerator from China, replace its logo, and label it ‘Made in Uzbekistan,’ and then attempt to return it to China, the Chinese side will reject the product, calling it substandard, even though it was made on their territory. Each country finds ways to protect its interests.”

Artykhodjaev is confident that the fears of negative consequences from joining the WTO are exaggerated. In his view, Uzbek enterprises are already capable of producing high-quality products due to reforms and the opportunities provided by the country’s president. “Joining the WTO opens new horizons for export. We will not only lose, but gain a lot. Improving product quality will benefit both the citizens and the economy of the country,” he added.

In conclusion, Artykhodjaev stated that joining the WTO is not a threat, but an opportunity for Uzbekistan to enter international markets and develop competitive production.