Tashkent, Uzbekistan (UzDaily.com) — Uzbekistan’s cooperation with China has reached a new level in recent years, evolving into an “all-weather, comprehensive strategic partnership,” said Ilzat Kasimov, Deputy Minister of Investments, Industry, and Trade of Uzbekistan.

According to Kasimov, the bilateral relationship sets new benchmarks for Central Asia and opens broad opportunities in economic, humanitarian, and infrastructure spheres.

Regular high-level contacts play a key role in building mutual trust. In January 2024, President Shavkat Mirziyoyev visited Beijing and met with Chinese President Xi Jinping, signing over 40 agreements covering energy, industry, and humanitarian cooperation. In summer 2025, the two leaders met again in Astana, reaffirming the high level of mutual trust.

The economic component of the partnership is reflected in large-scale investments and growing trade. In 2024, bilateral trade reached US$14 billion, with the near-term target of US$20 billion considered realistic. The total portfolio of joint projects has already exceeded US$60 billion, while in the first months of 2025, investments in Uzbekistan’s economy surpassed US$3 billion. About 4,000 enterprises operate in Uzbekistan with Chinese capital, more than 800 of which were launched in the past year alone.

Energy remains a key area of cooperation. Uzbekistan aims to increase the share of renewable energy to 54% by 2030. Chinese companies are involved in constructing major solar power plants in Kashkadarya and Bukhara regions, with projects totaling US$650 million—the largest in the region. In 2024, production of electric and hybrid vehicles began in partnership with China’s BYD, with an expected output of up to 300,000 units per year.

Transport infrastructure development and integration into global logistics chains are also crucial. In December 2024, construction began on the China–Kyrgyzstan–Uzbekistan railway, which will give Uzbekistan access to East and Southeast Asian markets and become part of the Belt and Road Initiative.

Humanitarian ties are expanding as well. China provides technical and educational support, establishing joint academic projects including a branch of the Northwest University of Agriculture and Forestry and the International Mathematical Center at Urgench State University. The 20th anniversary of the Confucius Institute in Tashkent marked a milestone in promoting Chinese language and culture.

Kasimov noted that the cooperation has gained an international dimension. “The protocol signed in summer 2025 concluding bilateral negotiations on Uzbekistan’s accession to the WTO shows that partnership with China extends beyond regional interests and shapes the global trade architecture,” he said.

Regional initiatives, such as the Second Uzbek–Chinese Interregional Forum in Samarkand, foster direct business interactions and discussions on projects in agriculture, textiles, and tourism.

These efforts reinforce Uzbekistan’s role as a key economic and logistics hub in Central Asia.

“Today, it can be confidently stated: the Tashkent–Beijing alliance has become one of the pillars of new Eurasia. This partnership sets a strategic vector shaping Central Asia’s future in the global system,” Kasimov concluded.