China-Kyrgyzstan-Uzbekistan Railway Company officially commenced operations in Kyrgyzstan's Bishkek on September 28. The primary goal of this venture is to construct and manage a railway line that will connect China, Kyrgyzstan, and Uzbekistan.
The event was attended by key officials, including Akylbek Japarov, Chairman of the Cabinet of Ministers of the Kyrgyz Republic; Du Dewen, the Chinese Ambassador to Kyrgyzstan; senior representatives from the Department of Foreign Capital and Overseas Investment of China’s National Development and Reform Commission; and Ilkhom Makhkamov, Uzbekistan’s Minister of Transport.
In his address, Japarov underscored the significance of the railway project, referring to it as “the construction of the century.” He noted that this initiative is expected to enhance economic cooperation between China and the Central Asian nations, facilitating improved connectivity and trade.
Currently, neither Kyrgyzstan nor Uzbekistan possesses a direct railway link to China, with the only existing connection being through Kazakhstan. Additionally, there is no railway infrastructure connecting Kyrgyzstan and Uzbekistan directly.
The foundation for this project was established through an intergovernmental agreement signed on June 6 in Beijing, solidifying the commitment of China, Kyrgyzstan, and Uzbekistan to collaborate on the railway construction.
The proposed railway will extend 523 km, passing through key locations including Kashgar (China), Torugart, Makmal, Jalal-Abad (Kyrgyzstan), and Andijan (Uzbekistan). A comprehensive transit and logistics infrastructure will be developed along this corridor, which is anticipated to accommodate an annual cargo capacity of 15 mn tons once operational.
In June, Akylbek Japarov confirmed a statement made by Kyrgyz President Sadyr Japarov in April 2024 regarding the railway's projected construction cost, which has now been revised to $8bn, up from an earlier estimate of $4.7bn.
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