Source: CGTN Published: 2024-01-25

On January 23, Uzbekistan's President Shavkat Mirziyoyev arrived in Beijing for a three-day visit. It marks the first exchange between China and Central Asia this year. During his visit, President Mirziyoyev had high-level talks with Chinese President Xi Jinping and attended other bilateral meetings.

During the past two years, both parties have been actively engaged in high-level discussions. In February 2022, President Mirziyoyev visited China, and in September of the same year, President Xi traveled to Uzbekistan for the Shanghai Cooperation Organization summit in Samarkand. Moreover, the Uzbek president participated in two visits to China last year – the first was in May, attending the first China-Central Asia summit, and the second was in October, following the third Belt and Road Forum for International Cooperation.

President Mirziyoyev wrote in his article on the eve of his visit that relations between Uzbekistan and China are at a historic high. The president formulated several vital considerations for developing bilateral ties between the countries. He directly stated the need to take bilateral relations to a 'qualitatively new and higher level.' Among other essential statements is the need to carry out 'joint work to ensure the development of transport and logistics infrastructure,' as well as 'the importance of the role of people-to-people diplomacy in strengthening Uzbek-Chinese friendship is now becoming more evident.'

During the talks between the two leaders, China and Uzbekistan have upgraded their ties to an all-weather comprehensive strategic partnership for a new era, which indicates that there is huge potential ahead in terms of bilateral cooperation.

According to China's General Administration of Customs, two-way trade totaled 98.85 billion yuan ($13.93 billion) last year, up 53.2 percent from 2022. At the same time, China's exports to Uzbekistan increased by 76.8 percent year on year. These are truly remarkable results, but there is a vast unrealized potential for economic cooperation between China and Uzbekistan if the transport infrastructure improves.

Although the countries are geographically close, transporting goods by train from China through Kazakhstan to Uzbekistan takes 45 to 70 days. While the rail transportation system is currently the most practical option, it is not the best choice for high-value or perishable goods. Shipping cargo by air is quite expensive, with costs ranging from $9 to $25 per kilogram.

Therefore, constructing a new railway between China and Uzbekistan through Kyrgyzstan is now being discussed. If the railway is completed, it will considerably reduce the cost and time of cargo transportation, promoting better trade relations and boosting the economies of the countries involved. Instead of many weeks, the transport of goods and passengers between the two countries will be reduced to a few days. Once this section is completed, the railway may be extended to the West, passing through Turkmenistan, Kazakhstan, South Caucasian countries, and Türkiye, ultimately reaching Europe. This extension is expected to shorten the distance from China to Türkiye by approximately 900 kilometers.