Speech by the President of the Republic of Uzbekistan Shavkat Mirziyoyev at the second summit “Central Asia – China”

(June 17, 2025, Astana city)

Dear heads of delegations!

I join in the words of gratitude to the respected President of Kazakhstan Kassym-Jomart Kemelevich Tokayev for the warm welcome and high-level organization of the second summit "Central Asia - China".

I thank the Chairman of the People's Republic of China, respected Mr. Xi Jinping for his strong commitment to strengthening friendship and cooperation with states region.

I fully support your words that “China and the countries of Central Asia share centuries-old ties of friendship and partnership based on mutual respect, mutual trust and mutual benefit, the desire for rapprochement and the development of high-quality cooperation.”

I would also like to join in the heartfelt congratulations and wishes addressed to you on the occasion of the recent Happy birthday.

Dear colleagues!

I support the agenda of today's meeting and the documents prepared, including the Astana Declaration.

I welcome the launch of joint centers for the prevention of desertification, cooperation in education, the fight against poverty, as well as the platform for uninterrupted trade between Central Asia and China. Undoubtedly, these mechanisms will help expand practical interaction between our countries. Uzbekistan intends to actively participate in the organization and development of their activities.

Dear heads of delegations!

As Chinese wisdom says: “He who goes forward with friends will achieve more.”

Since our first historic summit in Xi'an, we have achieved significant results. As already noted, a Secretariat has been created, which is designed to ensure multi-level coordination of cooperation.

Effective mechanisms for meetings and conferences of ministers and experts in various areas are in place, and a legal framework for full-scale cooperation is being formed.

The analysis shows an increase in the total trade turnover of the Central Asian countries with China. This year it will reach $100 billion. And the number of joint ventures and projects will exceed 10 thousand.

In our opinion, the development of cooperation in this format is facilitated, on the one hand, by the processes of profound transformation in Central Asia itself, which has turned into a space of trust, good neighborliness and partnership. On the other hand, this is the unwavering commitment of the Chinese leadership to developing friendly relations with neighboring states and promoting the global concept of the Belt and Road.

In this regard, I would like to outline our vision for the further development of multilateral cooperation.

The current meeting is taking place in the context of a noticeable deterioration in the international situation.

Devastating conflicts are gaining new strength, mutual distrust between global and regional powers is increasing. Growing rivalry leads to increased tension, the emergence of new challenges and threats to security and sustainable development.

We consider the use of force to resolve controversial international issues and conflict problems unjustified and unacceptable.

I completely agree with your words, dear President Xi Jinping, that there will be no winners in ongoing conflicts and wars.

I am convinced that all disputes and disagreements should be resolved exclusively through diplomatic efforts - at the negotiating table, based on the principle of respect for sovereignty, international law and the Charter of the United Nations.

It should be noted that in such unpredictable conditions, the importance and role of regional mechanisms capable of consolidating countries to ensure a more stable system of international relations is increasing.

In this regard, I consider the adoption today of the Treaty on Eternal Good Neighborliness, Friendship and Cooperation between our countries to be a historic event. This document will be a common contribution to ensuring regional stability. In the development of the Treaty, it is important to adopt the Concept of our long-term partnership with the inclusion of specific mechanisms and projects.

Trade, investment and technological partnership is a powerful driver in the implementation of socio-economic development strategies of all countries of Central Asia.

I will give just one example. Based on the advanced experience of China, our country has implemented dozens of large projects aimed at developing industrial potential and social infrastructure, creating jobs in the regions of the country.

I would like to emphasize: the combination of the growing potential of the countries of Central Asia and the industrial leadership of China should lead to the formation of a common space of great opportunities with effective mechanisms for knowledge exchange and technology transfer.

I am confident that the early adoption of the New Economic Partnership Program will be another practical step in this direction. To fill this Program with specifics and form a portfolio of projects to expand mutual trade and investment, we propose to establish an Interregional Council on Trade and Investment at the level of deputy prime ministers of our countries. We are ready to hold the first meeting in Uzbekistan before the end of this year.

In order to stimulate trade relations, we advocate the organization of a multilateral trading platform "Electronic Silk Road" within the framework of the "Digital Belt and Road".

I consider it urgent to create a Regional Center for Industrial Standardization and Certification in Tashkent, which will deal with issues of bringing regulations closer together and standards, certification of export products according to Chinese requirements.

I also propose to adopt a separate “road map” for technology transfer with the involvement of business, leading research institutes and engineering centers.

The effective unlocking of the economic potential of our countries will be facilitated by strengthening industrial and infrastructural interconnectedness.

B For these purposes, I propose to develop a long-term strategy “Industrial and Infrastructure Belt “Central Asia - China”. We are talking about creating a system of interconnected industrial clusters, technology parks and logistics hubs with the attraction of Chinese investments, technological and scientific solutions.

In addition, energy ministers should carefully study the issues of interconnecting the energy systems of the countries of Central Asia and China, including the implementation of a mega-project for the construction of a high-voltage power transmission line.

The issue of introducing effective financial instruments capable of supporting large projects of regional importance is of particular relevance. I would like to note that the international mechanisms currently in force undoubtedly play an important role, but they do not fully cover the investment needs of the region. According to experts, the shortage of capital investments in the infrastructure development of Central Asia amounts to hundreds of billions of dollars.

In this regard, it seems advisable to consider the possibility of establishing the Central Asia - China Development Fund, which could become an effective platform for promoting infrastructure initiatives.

Another priority area is the development of transport connectivity between Central Asia and China.

We believe that the launch of the construction of the China-Kyrgyzstan-Uzbekistan railway is an important element of the new system of transport and transit communications in the Eurasian space.

We hope to support the implementation of the Trans-Afghan railway project, which will open up great opportunities for all our countries and will connect China through our region with South Asia.

In the interests of developing a common vision of prospects in this strategic area, I consider it necessary to instruct our transport departments to form expert groups to conduct field research, study the possibilities of modernizing the logistics infrastructure and implement pilot projects for transporting goods along alternative corridors.

Based on the results of their work, specific and substantiated proposals should be developed for our next meeting to form a unified map of transport corridors and modern transit infrastructure.

One of the serious challenges to the sustainable development of all our countries is the consequences of climate change.

I am convinced that the widespread introduction of advanced Chinese experience in the region will reduce risks and significantly increase the effectiveness of measures in the field of the “green” agenda and environmental protection.

In this regard, it is important to accelerate the adoption and as soon as possible begin the implementation of the Green Development Program until 2030.

We also propose to establish an Environmental Alliance in our format for dialogue and partnership in the field of combating desertification, restoring degraded lands, increasing bio-ecological sustainability in arid and desert areas.

I would like to note that, using Chinese experience and methodology, we can implement pilot projects in the region, including integrated landscaping and the creation of nurseries, the development of bioengineering, biomonitoring stations, as well as social and educational programs.

I would especially like to dwell on the possibilities of cooperation in the field of artificial intelligence and digital technologies. It is these areas that today act as drivers of long-term growth, determining the competitiveness of national economies.

China traditionally occupies a leading position in this area, leading in the development of intelligent systems. I am convinced that the creation of a Network of mutually integrated big data banks and processing centers operating on the basis of artificial intelligence and seamless, cross-border electronic channels will create a sustainable digital infrastructure for economic interaction.

We also consider the construction of the Digital Route of the fiber-optic communication line "Central Asia - China" along the main energy and transport routes to be in demand.

This will create the basis for the further promotion of online trade, smart logistics, cloud technologies and artificial intelligence - all areas of the digital agenda enshrined in the Xi'an Declaration.

Our invaluable asset is our common desire for mutual enrichment of cultures and bringing our peoples closer together. It is precisely these goals that the Initiative to Facilitate Mutual Travel and the Program of Cultural and Humanitarian Events adopted today are aimed at.

Based on the principle of respect for the diversity of cultures, our cooperation opens up new opportunities for intercultural exchange for millions of people.

We propose to create a single digital portal “Cultural Heritage of the Silk Road.” It will unite the historical and cultural resources of the countries of Central Asia and China with access to it for researchers, students, tourists and representatives of the creative industry.

It is also advisable to form a common scientific and educational platform through the development of a program of cooperation in the field of vocational education, holding forums of university rectors, meetings of heads of academies of sciences and research centers.

Interaction in the field of security should remain among the key priorities. I propose to launch working multilateral mechanisms for the exchange of information through special services and security councils in the fight against terrorism, extremism, radicalism, drug trafficking, illegal migration and cybercrime.

Serious concern is the decrease in international community attention to the problems of Afghanistan, which for us is not just a neighbor, but an integral part of the common historical, cultural and economic space.

I believe that China and the countries of Central Asia, as traditional partners of Afghanistan with rich experience in interaction, have every opportunity to contribute to its restoration and involvement in regional integration processes. In this regard, we propose, within our format, to establish a High-Level Group to consider these issues and hold its meeting in the border town of Termez with the participation of representatives of Afghanistan.

Dear colleagues!

I would like to take this opportunity to wish success to the representative of the People's Republic of China, Mr. Sun Weidong, in his post as Permanent Secretary General The Secretariat of our dialogue.

In conclusion of my speech, I would like to emphasize: Uzbekistan is committed to open dialogue, expanding pragmatic and mutually beneficial cooperation in the “Central Asia - China” format.

I am confident that such a partnership will serve the well-being and prosperity of our countries and peoples.

Official website of the President of the Republic of Uzbekistan