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Bilateral Relations China

Forum Of Uzbek Regions And Chinese Provinces Held In Xinjiang

On January 22nd the first Uzbek-Chinese interregional forum was held in the city of Urumqi, in China’s Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region. The forum was attended by heads of key ministries, industry associations, chambers of commerce and industry, companies and more than 1,200 representatives of the business communities of the two countries. The Uzbek delegation at the forum was headed by deputy prime minister Jamshid Khojaev. The Chinese delegation was led by Ma Xingrui, secretary of the Party Committee of the Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region. In their welcoming speeches, the heads of both delegations stated that Uzbek-Chinese relations have entered a qualitatively new stage, which became possible thanks to the far-sighted policies of the heads of the two states, the Uzbek Ministry of Investment, Industry and Trade reported. The officials emphasized the positive dynamics of trade and investment partnership, with bilateral trade turnover having doubled and exceeding $14 billion over the past six years. It was noted that all the necessary capabilities are available to increase this indicator up to $20 billion in the coming years. The volume of utilized Chinese investments in Uzbekistan amounted to almost $15 billion. More than 2,000 enterprises with the participation of Chinese capital operate in Uzbekistan. In 2023 more than 60 projects worth almost $2 billion were successfully launched with the participation of Chinese companies, which are becoming leading partners in modernizing the country's industrial sector. Mr Khojaev and Mr Xingrui outlined the further steps to increase cooperation between the two countries, including through direct interaction between regions, emphasizing the importance of regularly holding exhibitions of the industrial and agricultural potential of the regions of Uzbekistan and the provinces of China. The heads of delegations called on business leaders to step up efforts to create high-tech industries based on the competitive advantages of the economies of the two countries, develop industrial cooperation to produce in-demand products and jointly develop new markets, as well as increase the volume of mutual trade. As a result of the forum, 27 documents were signed on the establishment of economic, trade and cultural ties between the regions of Uzbekistan and the provinces of China. In addition, a solid package of 30 agreements and contracts was signed between the business communities of the two countries.

Japan Bilateral Relations

Turkmen Foreign Minister Visits Japan, Meets With Business Community

During a working visit to Japan on January 22nd, the Turkmen foreign minister, Rashid Meredov, held a meeting with the chief cabinet secretary of Japan, Yoshimasa Hayashi. They exchanged views on the current state of their countries' bilateral cooperation in priority areas, the Turkmen Ministry of Foreign Affairs reported, as well as prospects for developing ties. Mr Meredov stressed the positive dynamics in cooperation between Turkmenistan and Japan in the political, trade, economic, cultural and humanitarian spheres. The parties focused on the development of trade and economic ties, mentioning a number of successfully completed joint projects in the energy and gas chemical industries. They also identified priorities for further cooperation in the energy, industrial, and investment sectors, as well as in the fields of culture, science, and education. Also on January 22nd, the Turkmen delegation led by Mr Meredov met with representatives of the Japanese business community. It was suggested to invite Japanese companies to produce export goods with high added value in Turkmenistan, as well as to involve small and medium-sized enterprises from both countries in joint projects. Representatives of Japanese companies showed interest in cooperating in the fields of infrastructure and energy transition.

Bilateral Relations

Mirziyoyev to Visit China – Strengthen Strategic Partnership

At the invitation of the Chinese President, Xi Jinping, President Shavkat Mirziyoyev will make a state visit to China from January 23rd to 25th, the press service of the President of Uzbekistan has reported. Within the framework of his stay in Beijing, a series of high-level talks and bilateral meetings are planned. The main objective of the visit will be to discuss and settle key aspects in further strengthening Uzbek-Chinese relations, with the aim of establishing a comprehensive strategic partnership and expanding practical cooperation in various fields. The partnership between Uzbekistan and China is of great strategic importance, the press service stated. In addition, Mirziyoyev also plans to visit regions of China, where he will hold meetings with the heads of leading Chinese companies and representatives from banking and financial institutions.

Bilateral Relations

U.S. Ambassador Addresses Relations with Kazakhstan

The United States has prioritized two areas in its relationship with Kazakhstan, “stability and sovereignty,” said the U.S. Ambassador to Kazakhstan,Daniel Rosenblum during a roundtable discussion at the Caspian Policy Center’s DC office on January 4th. The Caspian Policy Center (CPC) is an independent, nonprofit think tank based in Washington D.C., with its central research focus on economic, political, energy and security issues in the Caspian region. Ambassador Rosenblum highlighted the “tremendous progress” made between the United States and Kazakhstan in recent years, and addressed the future direction of the U.S.-Kazakhstan bilateral partnership, as reported in the CPC’s press release. Rosenblum said he sees the United States heading in two directions: “One is maintaining that level of engagement. Having another leader-level meeting ... And I know that because Kazakhstan is quite interested and pushing us to commit the same thing at the next UNGA .... hopefully, that can happen and then it becomes a sort of a tradition.” The second direction, Rosenblum added, is to see that “substantive commitments... get realized, and then grow into other things.” Specifically, the Ambassador highlighted the proposed B5+1 meeting, “which is sort of a private sector parallel structure [to the C5] of business associations and U.S. businesses.” The Trans-Caspian trade corridor, or so-called “Middle Corridor,” is an “economic priority for the government [of Kazakhstan] and for us as well,” the Ambassador noted. “The key challenge to developing the Middle Corridor and making it a viable alternative is to increase the speed of goods moving and to lower costs,” he specified, adding that such coordination, “will require the countries of the region to cooperate and harmonize their standards and their procedures for the movement of goods.” Ambassador Rosenblum added that the United States has remained committed to financing these strategic infrastructure projects in Kazakhstan. “Our foreign direct investment (FDI) numbers were healthy as there was another $5 billion of new FDI [invested in Kazakhstan] in 2023,” said the Ambassador. “We are still the number two source of FDI [in Kazakhstan] after the Netherlands.” The Ambassador also said that Kazakhstan has made a visible effort to comply with U.S. and international sanctions on its traditional trade partner, Russia. “Since the sanctions were first imposed, back in 2022, Kazakhstan's record is a good one, both in terms of their ability to prevent sanctions evasion and, also, making sure that they're complying with all the sanctions when it comes to their domestic companies, relationships with Russian companies, Russian banks, and so on,” Rosenblum said.

Bilateral Relations Traditions Art and Culture

“Walking the Silk Road” Chinese Cultural Exhibition Held in Bishkek

A recent exhibition in Bishkek, titled "Walking the Silk Road, Allowing Cultures to Integrate," centered on the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) and showcased Chinese culture. Kyrgyz Deputy Prime Minister Edil Baisalov, Charge d'Affaires of the Chinese Embassy in Kyrgyzstan Li Baojie, representatives from educational institutions of both Kyrgyzstan and China, and business delegates attended the event, as reported by Xinhua. Deputy Prime Minister Baisalov emphasized the transformative impact of the BRI on the region, including Kyrgyzstan, stating, "It has actually had a huge impact on the political and economic situation around the world." Charge d'Affaires Li highlighted over a decade of fruitful cooperation between Kyrgyzstan and China within the BRI framework. Li emphasized the importance of cultural interaction and exchange within the initiative, noting that exhibitions like this provide opportunities for the Kyrgyz people to gain a deeper insight into Chinese traditional culture and customs, fostering stronger mutual understanding. The exhibition, organized by the Kaifeng Management Committee of the Pilot Free Trade Zone of China (Henan) and the Kyrgyzstan-China Friendship Association, showcased stone carving reflecting the Spring and Autumn period, wood carving themed on "New Year's Pictures," and intricate paper-cutting artistry.

Education Bilateral Relations

Turkmenistan and China to Expand Cooperation in Education

On December 28th, a meeting was held between the Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs of Turkmenistan, Myahri Byashimova, and the Deputy Minister of Education of China, Sun Yao, who arrived in Ashgabat on a working visit, a Turkmen Government official website stated, stating that the parties noted that today, Turkmen-Chinese relations in terms of a comprehensive strategic partnership are dynamically developing in many directions. It was also stated that relations between Turkmenistan and China in the field of education tend to develop consistently and fruitfully, as evidenced by numerous exchanges of visits by university representatives, joint conferences, seminars, forums and exhibitions. The parties discussed opportunities to conduct regular short and long-term research and educational programs, courses, and lectures in such areas as medicine, agriculture, ecology, nanotechnology, and political science. Both sides expressed their confidence that the visit of the Chinese delegation will serve as an effective impetus for strengthening ties between higher educational institutions of Turkmenistan and China.