Uzbekistan_-_China

54
T
oday the relations between Uzbekistan and China have progressed to the level of strategic partnership. The co-operation includes all areas of politics, economy, trade, industry, construction, science, education and culture. Inter-actions between our countries steadily develop based on such documents as the Joint Declaration on Establishing Strategic Partnership, the Agreement on Friendship and Cooperation, as well as the Joint Statement of 2016 Providing for the Establishment of Comprehensive Strategic Partnership.
Mutually cooperation rising to a new level
On May 11–13, 2017 President of the Republic of Uzbekistan H.E. Shavkat Mirziyoyev paid the first State
visit to China on the Invitation of President of the People ’s Republic of China H.E. Xi Jinping. At the talks of leaders of our countries was mentioned that mutually advantageous coopera-tion rising to a new level and the com-monality or similarity of the two states positions on regional and international issues were of important significance. The sides reaffirmed their readiness to further expand and strengthen the full-scale strategic partnership and mutually beneficial cooperation be-tween the Republic of Uzbekistan and the People ’s Republic of China.
As a result of the talks, Shavkat Mirziyoyev and Xi Jinping signed a joint declaration between the Republic of Uzbekistan and the People’s Repub-lic of China.
Within the framework of the
State visit the following important documents were also signed: intergov-ernmental agreements on technical cooperation and on international road traffic, an exchange of notes between the governments on financing projects for raising the quality of education at general education schools, for provid-ing the health care sphere with modern medical equipment, and also a memo-randum of understanding in the sphere of veterinary science and the quarantine inspection of plants, a memorandum of understanding on encouraging co-operation between small business and private entrepreneurship entities and a plan of cooperation in interdepartmen-tal exchanges in the agricultural sphere in the years 2018-2020.
In general, more than 100 bilater-al intergovernmental and interdepart-
By Nodirjon Nurmatov
Uzbekistan - China: Full-scale Strategic Partnership and Mutually Beneficial Cooperation
55
mental documents were signed during the visit. The reached agreements pro-vide for the realization of a large pack-age of investment projects. Their total value exceeds USD 23 billion. It was also noted especially that the agree-ments that were reached would serve to further develop the Uzbek-Chinese relations and to raise the wellbeing of the peoples of the two countries.
During this visit President of the Republic of Uzbekistan Shavkat Mirziyoyev met also with representa-tives of business circles of China. The current state and prospects of coop-eration, priority directions of steady development of the long-term partner-ship between Uzbekistan and China were discussed at the meeting.
It was underlined that Uzbekistan has established long-term and mutually beneficial relations with leading indus-trial companies of China, joint projects in oil and gas, telecommunications, transport, textiles, tourism, construction, chemicals and other spheres have been successfully implemented. The President of our country emphasized that Chi-nese businesses participate in many new industrial projects in Uzbekistan. He also stressed that the Uzbekistan-China industrial park of new technologies in “Jizzakh” free economic zone is a vivid example of this cooperation. Mobile telephones, sewing machines, construc-tion materials, solar collectors and other competitive products are manufactured here. In order to create the most favor-able conditions for attracting investment, especially foreign direct investment on the basis of the study of best practices of the leading industrialized countries of the world, by the Decrees of the Presi-dent created a total of 17 free economic zones in Uzbekistan.
Both countries are interested in developing an industrial-innovative partnership
Indeed China is one of the largest trade-economic and investment part-ners of Uzbekistan. The volumes of mu-tual trade are dynamically increasing. Mutually beneficial cooperation is con-sistently developing in all spheres of life. In 2017, the trade turnover between our countries amounted to USD 5 billion. Over 700 enterprises with the partici-
pation of Chinese capital, representative offices of a number of companies are functioning in Uzbekistan. A number of joint projects are being implemented in such sectors as high-tech, oil and gas, chemical industry, transport and logis-tics, textiles, agriculture and etc.
Both countries are interested in developing an industrial-innovative partnership. Over the past years Chi-nese investors have invested about USD 8 billion in the Uzbek economy. A number of joint investment projects, including strategic ones, have been implemented in our country.
The Belt and Road project, the initiator of which has been China, envisages forming and promoting new models of international cooperation and development, as well as further strengthening the existing mecha-nisms of bilateral and multilateral co-operation.
Uzbekistan’s participation has a very significance for the project. Our country, located in the centre of the Great Silk Road, since ancient times has had an important place in consoli-dating international trade-economic and cultural ties.
The main goal is to promote and continue the development trends on the route of the Great Silk Road, to develop new mechanisms of economic cooperation, to stimulate economic progress of the involved states, to reinforce cultural ties among differ-ent civilizations as well as to promote peace and sustainable development.
Today our country attaches a special attention to mutually beneficial cooperation with all countries. A part-nership within the frameworks of the Belt and Road project plays an impor-tant role.
The competitiveness of the prod-ucts, manufactured in our country and the demand for them in the world markets have been increasing as a result of the ongoing initiatives of President Shavkat Mirziyoyev on consistent reforms on modernization and diver-sification of industrial spheres, devel-opment of small business and private entrepreneurship, supporting exports. The Belt and Road project, aimed at further developing trade and economic cooperation between the countries of
the Great Silk Road, has an signifi-cance in developing and demonstrating economic capabilities of Uzbekistan.
Speaking in the Belt and Road Forum in China on May, President Shavkat Mirziyoyev said that that China – Kyrgyzstan – Uzbekistan –Afghanistan railway line might be integrated in a One Belt, One Road transport corridor network.
The Belt and Road Initiative will allow the involved states to fully uti-lise their capacities, mutually enrich their economies, stimulate trade and investments, create wide conditions for further development of cooperation. Within the framework of coopera-tion, Uzbekistan actively participates in projects on creating transport and logistics routes connecting Central Asia via China with the markets of South, Southeast Asia and European coun-tries. Uzbekistan – China cooperation in the field of transport communica-tions, opening new trade and economic corridors, priority tasks and perspec-tives in tourism, scientific and educa-tional spheres successfully developing.
On June 9, 2018, President of the Republic of Uzbekistan Shavkat Mirzi-yoyev met with the President of the People’s Republic of China Xi Jinping within the framework of the SCO Sum-mit in Qingdao. Head of China, wel-coming Shavkat Mirziyoyev, noted that he attaches great importance to full-scale strategic partnership and multi-format cooperation with Uzbekistan. At the meeting, the current state of Uzbekistan –
China is one of the largest trade-economic and investment partners of Uzbekistan.
China cooperation was comprehensively analyzed. Issues of further expansion of interaction in economy, trade, investment, transport communications, high technol-ogies and other spheres were discussed. The importance of developing links be-tween the regions of the two countries for further expansion of this cooperation was emphasized.
Developing direct cooperation between the provinces
On this basis The Embassy of Uz-bekistan in Beijing paid great attention to develop direct cooperation between the provinces of Uzbekistan and China. T o accomplish this task, which was set by the leaders two countries, the Embassy carried out a lot of efforts. In establishing direct relations between the regions of Uzbekistan and China, special attention was paid to the development, potential and specifics of each region. From the beginning of 2018 year up to now, several delegations of 12 provinces of Uzbekistan paid visits to different provinces of China.
It should be noted that during these visits in each province of China, representatives of Uzbekistan met and held talks with the heads of provinces and different companies. Business fo-rums were organized in each province. As a result of meetings and negotiations, many agreements and other bilateral documents were signed. Thus the total amount of signed contracts and agree-ments between the regions of the two countries exceeds USD 4.5 billion.
As a result of these efforts, direct
links have been established between
the following provinces of the two
countries: Samarkand – Shaanxi
provinces, Bukhara – Henan, Andi-
jan – Anhui, Tashkent – Chongqing,
Surkhandarya – Sichuan, Jizzakh –
Tianjin, Karakalpakstan – Hunan,
Hebei, Namangan – Shandong,
Sirdarya – Shanghai, Khopazm – Fu-
jian, Ferghana – Hubei.
For example on March 2018 a
group of entrepreneurs from Karakal-
pakstan took part in the international
exhibition of construction technologies,
goods and equipment “Constructtech –
2018” and Uzbekistan – China business
forum, in Beijing. B2B meetings were
held within the framework of the event.
A number of export and import agree-
ments were also signed.
On April delegation led by Kho-
kim (governor) of Samarkand region
visited to Shaanxi province. Within the
framework of the visit, the international
logistics center of Xi’an hosted a busi-
ness forum on investment opportunities
and export potential of Samarkand re-
gion in order to expand trade, economic
and investment cooperation between
entrepreneurs of Samarkand region and
Shaanxi province. Local entrepreneurs
showed a high interest in the business
forum, which was full of interesting
discussions. Following the presenta-
tion, 26 businessmen and heads of large
enterprises from Samarkand held talks
with companies of Shaanxi Province in
bilateral and multilateral format. And
other visits were also fruitful.
Recently, in February 2018, Uz-
bekistan – China JV Silk Road Inter-
national was established with partici-
pation of Urta Osiyo Trans Joint Stock
Company, the main activity of which
is organization of cargo transportation
along the new transport corridor Tash-
kent – Andijan – Osh – Irkeshtam –
Kashgar (China) and back.
On August 7, 2018 in Beijing
National Bank for Foreign Economic
Affairs of the Republic of Uzbekistan
and the architectural and design com-
pany China Construction Engineering
Design Group Corporation Ltd signed
a contract for participation of the Chi-
nese designers in developing the con-
cept of the General plan of Samarkand
and organization of the town-planning
space in conjunction with the location
of the objects of the SCO-2022 summit
and the tourist zone of Samarkand city.
Chinese investors plan to launch
next year in the territory of the FEZ
“Jizzakh” the largest in Central Asia
glass factory. The total cost of the plant
project is more than 110 million dol-
lars, the first stage has already been
mastered USD 28.9 million.
Chinese investors will build the
country’s largest Bicycle production
plant in the Kuyichirchik district of
Tashkent region. The total cost of the
project exceeds USD 80 million, it is
expected that the export of products
will be USD 260 million.
Besides, Chinese companies are
very actively seeking to cooperate with
Uzbekistan in the direction of the pro-
duction of electric vehicles. For example,
Changan Automobile Group announced
that the company intends to organize
the production of electric cars in the
Ferghana valley. The Chinese company
plans to invest tens of millions of dollars.
There are many such examples.
It should be noted that Uzbeki-
stan and China by 2020 intend to in-
crease the volume of bilateral trade to
USD 10 billion.
(Author: Trade and economic
counselor of the Embassy of the
Republic of Uzbekistan in China)
56。