Tashkent, Uzbekistan (UzDaily.com) -- The state visit of the President of the Republic of Uzbekistan Shavkat Mirziyoyev to China began on 18 May this year with bilateral negotiations with President of the People’s Republic of China Xi Jinping.

This state visit of the Leader of Uzbekistan really played an important role in the development of bilateral relations. Experts highlight the significant strengthening of socio-economic cooperation between Uzbekistan and China, which raises the comprehensive strategic partnership between the two countries to a radically new level.

Thus, in recent years, the most favored nation treatment has been established in mutual trade. In 2022, the trade turnover between Uzbekistan and China for the first time reached US$9 billion, an increase of 20% compared to 2021. In the first quarter of this year, China has become the main trading partner of Uzbekistan, with a total trade volume of US$2.3 billion.

It should be noted that the parties pay special attention to the development of investment cooperation. The total amount of assimilated Chinese investments in 2017-2022 amounted to about US$11 billion, of which US$2.2 billion was in 2022 alone.

There are 2,141 enterprises operating in Uzbekistan with the participation of Chinese capital, including 275 established in 2022, of which the largest are: Huawei, ZTE, Wenzhou Jinsheng Trading, JV Peng Sheng, Sinotruk, Heng Bang Textile Central Asia.

This dynamics of the development of the Uzbek-Chinese economic cooperation once again convincingly proves that the two friendly countries open up new horizons of mutually beneficial cooperation every year.

It is important to emphasize that during the meeting of Shavkat Mirziyoyev signed a Joint Statement with Xi Jinping. The parties also adopted the Comprehensive Strategic Partnership Development Program in a new era between the Republic of Uzbekistan and the People’s Republic of China for 2023-2027.

Undoubtedly, the Joint Statement and the Program will strengthen the Uzbek-Chinese relations in a new era of mutual understanding, as well as expand mutually beneficial practical cooperation in the trade and economic sphere.

In total, during the visit, 41 documents worth US$25 billion were signed, aimed at further deepening practical cooperation between the two countries.

A significant part of the signed agreements was included in a full-scale program of investment and technological cooperation for the development of alternative energy, which provides for the construction of solar, wind and hydroelectric power plants, the production of photovoltaic panels, electrical equipment, transformers, batteries, as well as digitalization of management and training of specialists in these areas.

The heads of the two countries also discussed the possibility of deepening cooperation in the production of new generation cars - launching modern plants for the production of electric vehicles and cars with a hybrid engine.

In this direction, two agreements have been signed between the two countries on the production of modern cars together with the EXEED and electric and hybrid cars with the BYD Auto Industry.

At the same time, the parties identified bilateral measures to unlock the potential for interaction between the regions of the two countries, including the transformation of Syrdarya region into a "territory of advanced innovations".

The leaders of the countries also stressed the importance of the early start of practical work on the construction of the China-Kyrgyzstan-Uzbekistan railway, noting the completion of work on the development of its feasibility study.

In this regard, within the framework of the visit, the leaders of Uzbekistan, Kyrgyzstan and China signed a tripartite document providing for the next steps to accelerate the implementation of this strategically important railway, including: development of detailed design, study and defining an investment and financing model.

At the same time, it is important to highlight the participation of the Head of State at the Exhibition of Uzbek-Chinese cooperation, dedicated to cooperation between Uzbekistan and China in the fields of industry, infrastructure development, agriculture, science, education and innovation.

On the sidelines of the exhibition in the format of a teleconference between the Chinese city of Xian, Syrdarya, Tashkent, Jizzakh and Samarkand regions of our country, a solemn ceremony of launching new joint projects was held.

President Shavkat Mirziyoyev, by pressing a symbolic button, launched 15 joint ventures for the production of cars and electric vehicles, building materials, a wide range of metal products and rolled products, medical supplies worth US$3.3 billion.

As part of a state visit to the historic city of Xi’an, the Head of Uzbekistan also took part in the first Summit of the Heads of State of Central Asia and China.

In his speech, the President of Uzbekistan indicated that the priority project for the revival of the Great Silk Road is the Trans-Eurasian Highway, the important components of which will be the China-Kyrgyzstan-Uzbekistan highway and railway.

In the future, the implementation of this project and the construction of the Trans-Afghan Corridor will make it possible, within the framework of the Belt and Road Initiative, to connect China with the countries of South Asia by alternative routes.

At the same time, the Leader of Uzbekistan emphasized that the top priority is the need to ensure the coherence of national programs for the development of transport communications, which will allow developing a single long-term Strategy on this basis.

Along with this, the need was noted for establishing interaction between the leading "think tanks" of the six countries to develop strategic approaches, comprehensive recommendations and solutions, "breakthrough" projects of a regional and global scale.

To this end, the President of Uzbekistan proposed to hold the first International Expert Conference on the issues of conjugation of national development strategies in Samarkand next year.

The head of our state called for the further formation of the New Economic Dialogue and the strengthening of interconnectedness, the achievement of a twofold increase in the trade turnover of the countries of the region with China by 2030.

It is proposed to ensure the implementation of this task through a balanced growth of mutual supplies of industrial goods and agricultural products, the creation of an effective trade and logistics infrastructure and modern wholesale distribution networks, the introduction of green and express corridor systems, and common e-commerce platforms.

In order to create favorable conditions and a legal framework, it was proposed to consider the possibility of adopting a multilateral Agreement on Facilitating Mutual Trade and Encouragement of Investments.

The President drew attention to the fact that the issues of deepening industrial cooperation, attracting digital technologies and introducing innovations can be effectively resolved through direct interregional contacts with the provinces of China.

It was proposed to hold a Forum and an exhibition of cities and regions of six countries this year in Uzbekistan to establish practical cooperation, strengthen sister cities and partnerships.

Following the meeting, the Heads of six states signed the Xi’an Declaration of the "Central Asia - China" summit, which will serve to further strengthen good neighborly relations and comprehensive cooperation.

The Xi’an Declaration notes that the parties reaffirm their desire to create a closer community of common destiny between Central Asia and China and express their willingness to improve the quality and level of trade and economic cooperation, consistently promote mutual trade, promote the diversification of the structure of trade turnover and constantly simplify trade procedures.

The practical implementation of these initiatives and agreements will undoubtedly strengthen economic cooperation, expand trade, attract additional investment in various areas, which will help create new jobs and, ultimately, improve the living conditions of the population.

In conclusion, I would like to note that the agreements reached following the visit of the President of the Republic of Uzbekistan Shavkat Mirziyoyev to China once again prove the serious and resolute attitude of all friendly countries of Central Asia and China to further deepen the prospective development of relations for the prosperity of countries and peoples.

Shavkat Alimbekov

Leading Research Fellow at the International Institute of Central Asia