On the afternoon of October 17, 2023, President Xi Jinping met with President of the Republic of Uzbekistan Shavkat Mirziyoyev at the Great Hall of the People of China. This meeting became an important moment in the history of bilateral relations, marking a new stage of friendship and cooperation between the two countries. Xi Jinping, recalling the successful meeting with President Shavkat Mirziyoyev in Xi’an in May of the same year, emphasized that the extensive general agreements reached at that meeting are being successfully implemented. China continues on its path to becoming a great modern socialist country, following its own path of modernization. Uzbekistan, in turn, presented the Uzbekistan-2030 strategy, which embodies its desire for modernization and development.
The countries shared similar development goals and ideas, and Xi Jinping expressed China’s readiness to seize the opportunity presented by the 10th anniversary of the Belt and Road Initiative. This partnership aims to create a Chinese-Uzbek community with a shared future. Within this community, countries will exchange experiences, support each other and contribute to the successful modernization of each of their initiatives.
Xi Jinping emphasized the need for firm mutual support. China expressed full support for the sovereignty, independence and territorial integrity of Uzbekistan and strongly opposed any attempts to interfere in its internal affairs.
Both sides expressed their readiness to effectively implement their plans in the economic and trade spheres, promoting cooperation in key areas. Particular attention was paid to the early launch of the China-Kyrgyzstan-Uzbekistan railway project, which promises to become a powerful mechanism for strengthening economic integration between countries.
China also expressed its willingness to support increased cooperation in new energy, innovation and at the subnational level. Both sides expressed interest in deepening cooperation in the educational field, in particular, exchanging experience and training young Uzbek specialists in China.
Concluding the meeting, Xi Jinping emphasized the importance of establishing cultural centers and workshops in both countries, which will help strengthen mutual understanding and friendship between their peoples. The meeting ended with an exchange of friendly wishes and confidence that this meeting will become a new powerful impetus for strengthening relations between China and Uzbekistan.
