President Shavkat Mirziyoyev of Uzbekistan met with a delegation from the People's Republic of China led by Erkin Tuniyaz, Chairman of the People's Government of the Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region on March 28, the presidential press service reported. The discussions centered on the extensive potential for interregional cooperation between Uzbekistan and China.
Both sides underscored the priority areas for enhancing multifaceted collaboration, particularly focusing on strengthening practical ties between various regions of Uzbekistan and the Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region (XUAR).
President Mirziyoyev expressed deep satisfaction with the current level of friendship and strategic partnership between Uzbekistan and China. Trade between Uzbekistan and the Xinjiang-Uygur Autonomous Region has been on the rise, constituting approximately 10% of the total bilateral trade volume.
The XUAR has committed to investment projects totaling $3.5bn, spanning sectors such as green energy, electrical engineering, construction, metallurgy, and infrastructure modernization.
Cultural exchange programs are actively underway, underscoring the commitment to fostering mutual understanding and cooperation at the grassroots level.
President Mirziyoyev highlighted the imperative of advancing mutually beneficial cooperation with XUAR, with a particular emphasis on accelerating joint projects in innovative technologies, agriculture, water management, transport, logistics, banking, finance, education, and traditional medicine.
Moreover, Uzbekistan's active participation in the annual "Expo China-Eurasia" exhibition in Urumqi demonstrates its commitment to deepening economic and trade ties with China.
The meeting also delved into the development of humanitarian and tourism relations, indicating a broader scope for collaboration beyond economic realms.
Of special significance was the discussion on promoting the construction project of the "Uzbekistan-Kyrgyzstan-China" railway, which holds immense potential for facilitating regional connectivity and trade.
Earlier it was announced that the China Energy Construction Group has officially initiated the Uzbekistan Angren District Rochi Energy Storage Project, marking China's largest single-unit electrochemical energy storage investment abroad. This endeavor aims to transform Uzbekistan's energy infrastructure and advance it towards sustainability.
This project, a collaborative venture between China and Uzbekistan, signals a new chapter in the country's energy sector. Covering an area of around 6 hectares, the initiative will utilize lithium iron phosphate batteries to establish a 150-megawatt power setup coupled with a robust 300-megawatt-hour battery energy storage system.
Set to begin commercial operations by December 2024, the power station is anticipated to inject approximately 2.19 bn kilowatt-hours of regulation capacity into Uzbekistan's grid. This infusion of energy holds the potential to drive the nation's economic and social progress, anchoring its transition towards a more sustainable and resilient energy landscape.
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