The main events of the visit of the President of the Republic of Uzbekistan Shavkat Mirziyoyev to China began in the morning of April 25 with a meeting with the President of the People’s Republic of China Xi Jinping.
This has been reported by the Press Service of the President of the Republic of Uzbekistan.
The leader of China warmly welcomed the visit of Shavkat Mirziyoyev to the PRC to participate in the second Belt and Road Forum for International Cooperation. He emphasized that the Chinese side highly appreciates the level of cooperation with Uzbekistan and is firmly committed to further deepening relations of comprehensive strategic partnership between the two countries.
The President of Uzbekistan expressed appreciation for the invitation to the international forum, noting that this event is important for development of both bilateral and regional cooperation.
Shavkat Mirziyoyev congratulated the President of the People’s Republic of China and the entire Chinese people on the upcoming significant date – the 70th anniversary of the founding of the People’s Republic of China.
– Dear President, I am pleased to recall your participation in the first forum. In this regard, we see in you one of the founders of the Belt and Road Forum for International Cooperation. The attention paid in Uzbekistan to participation in the forum indicates a high level of relations between our countries. Many agreements are reached and consistently implemented. I am sure that Uzbekistan – China cooperation has a bright future.
Uzbekistan and China are comprehensive strategic partners. Tashkent supports Beijing’s foreign policy and a principled position on One China issues, the ongoing struggle against terrorism, extremism and separatism. The PRC welcomes the reforms and regional policy of Uzbekistan implemented in the country. The countries actively cooperate within the framework of international organizations.
Thanks to regular meetings and the political will of the leaders of the two countries, Uzbekistan – China relations of comprehensive strategic partnership have reached a qualitatively new level. Today, cooperation in politics, economics, trade, industry, finance, agriculture, construction, science, education and culture is dynamically developing between the two countries.
China is one of the largest trade, economic and investment partners of Uzbekistan. The trade turnover is consistently growing, having exceeded 6.4 billion dollars last year, and has grown by 50 percent in the first quarter of 2019.
Chinese investments and loans attracted in the economy of Uzbekistan exceeded 8 billion dollars. Projects worth more than 4.5 billion dollars are being implemented according to the agreements reached following the state visit to the PRC in May 2017.
Issues of further expansion and diversification of trade were discussed at the meeting of the two leaders. Mutual interest in bringing the trade turnover to 10 billion dollars in the coming years was expressed. Special attention was paid to prospects of strengthening cooperation in attracting investments, innovations and technologies into the economy of Uzbekistan, developing new joint cooperation projects in various fields, developing the transit, transport and communication potential of the region.
The Head of our state emphasized that Uzbekistan fully supports the Belt and Road Initiative and is ready to make a practical contribution to its full-scale implementation.
The President of the People’s Republic of China expressed confidence that the participation and initiatives of Tashkent within the framework of the project will contribute to comprehensive deepening of China’s mutually beneficial cooperation with Uzbekistan and Central Asia as a whole.
In conclusion, Shavkat Mirziyoyev invited Xi Jinping to visit Uzbekistan on a state visit.