BY: Mr. Khalid Taimur Akram, Executive Director, Pakistan Research Center for a Community with Shared Future (PRCCSF), Islamabad.
The bilateral talks were held between Uzbekistan President Shavkat Mirziyoyev and Chinese President Xi Jinping in the city of Xi’an, northwest China’s Shaanxi Province, on May 18. The presidents of both countries made a commitment that their countries would work together to advance relations on all fronts and jointly contribute to regional security, stability, and growth.
The two sides discussed the most important matters of advancing friendship and a comprehensive strategic partnership between Uzbekistan and China, as well as the expansion of their mutually beneficial and diversified collaboration.
Uzbekistan President Shavkat Mirziyoyev and Chinese President Xi Jinping signed a joint statement and adopted a programme for the development of a comprehensive strategic partnership in a new era between the Republic of Uzbekistan and the People’s Republic of China for 2023-2027.
The development of a strategic partnership aims to foster closer trade and investment ties between the two countries. It involves the promotion of and facilitation of business collaborations and partnerships. The goal is to boost more trade and investment flows, enhancing further economic cooperation and mutual benefits for both China and Uzbekistan.
Uzbekistan President Shavkat Mirziyoyev and Chinese President Xi Jinping share the same vision to maintain trust, dialogue, open communication, and adherence to values and norms.
The two countries have provided one another with mutual support on matters pertaining to their core interests, helping one another in implementing development strategies, benefited from one another’s experience with reform and opening up, and boosted growth and prosperity. Additionally, the two sides have worked closely together to advance new energy, agriculture, finance, and modern telecommunications, which benefited the public of both countries.
Now, they are expanding and deepening their cooperation under a new development partnership.
China is not only a ‘global factory” but also a ‘global market’, and Uzbekistan is a global emerging economy; both are maximizing the use of these opportunities and giving full play to the complementary advantages of the two economies.
China and Uzbekistan are very old civilizations, and the historic Silk Road witnessed cordial interactions between the two countries. Both countries share the same goals of playing a constructive and active role to enhance cooperation.
They are also collaborating to take advantage of historical possibilities, advance together on the path of national renewal and development, and put in collaborative efforts in the direction of creating a China-Uzbekistan community with a shared future.
Both countries have ushered in increasing high-level exchanges, mutual peace, increased political trust, and continued mutual support. Promoting fundamental interests is all necessary. China actively participates in Uzbekistan’s reform and development efforts and firmly supports it in its pursuit of a growth path.
The active regional diplomacy of His Excellency Shavkat Miriyoyev has made him a “Regional Statesman”, who is now also known as connectivity man. His vision is not only appreciated by countries around the world and many regional states have joined his mission of developing connectivity.