BEIJING/TASHKENT, Jan. 25 (Xinhua) -- China and Uzbekistan continue to write a new chapter of friendship and co-operation, promoting the building of a community of destiny from a higher starting point.
By Leo Zhao Yan, Xinhua
"We read in the book about President Xi Jinping's far-sightedness and patriotism, and learnt that President Xi Jinping is personally involved in this great cause, always standing with the people and dedicating everything he has to the cause of poverty alleviation." This is how Uzbekistan's President Mirziyoyev expressed his deep identification with and admiration for President Xi Jinping's work for the well-being of the people in his preface to the Uzbek-language edition of Freedom from Poverty.
"The Central Asian countries are the truest of China's deceased people on its way out of the Yangguan in the west." President Mirziyoyev once said this to President Xi Jinping. President Mirziyoyev visited China twice last year and chose China again for his first trip this year. The heads of state of China and Ukraine have led the high-level development of relations between the two countries in their close interactions, promoting mutual understanding and affinity between the two peoples.
On the afternoon of 24 January, President Xi Jinping held talks at the Great Hall of the People with President Mirziyoyev, who came to China for a state visit. The two heads of state announced that China and Ukraine have decided to develop an all-weather comprehensive strategic partnership in the new era and promote the building of a China-Ukraine community of destiny from a higher starting point.
"A real Chinese miracle"
"This is a real Chinese miracle." President Mirziyoyev wrote in his foreword to the Uzbek-language edition of Freedom from Poverty, which was published and launched in Uzbekistan last November. He meticulously elaborated his in-depth observations and reflections on China's practice of poverty eradication, revealing between the lines that he attaches great importance to China's experience in governance.
In the eyes of President Mirziyoyev, President Xi Jinping is "an experienced statesman and a selfless patriot". In his preface, he quoted a number of classic sayings of President Xi Jinping - the need to "listen to the people's voices and understand their aspirations", and that "if a place is poor, the concept cannot be 'poor'". '"
"At the present time, Uzbekistan and China are helping each other and travelling together in the process of solving similar or identical development problems," President Mirziyoyev wrote in the preface.
Dildora Karimova, an expert at the Institute of Macroeconomic and Regional Studies of Uzbekistan, told Xinhua that Chinese experiences such as precise poverty alleviation have provided Uzbekistan with good reference and helped it create its own model of poverty alleviation work.
In recent years, the two heads of state have communicated closely on bilateral and multilateral occasions.2022 In September, President Xi Jinping travelled to Uzbekistan's famous city of Samarkand during his first trip after the Xin Guan epidemic to attend the 22nd meeting of the Council of Heads of State of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) member states and pay a state visit to the country. During that visit, the two heads of state jointly declared a new positioning of relations between the two countries as they put into practice the community of destiny at the bilateral level.2023 Mirziyoyev came to China twice, attending the China-Central Asia Summit and the Third Belt and Road Forum for International Cooperation, and had in-depth exchanges with Xi Jinping on bilateral and regional issues, which contributed to the development of a new relationship between the two countries. In 2023, Mirziyoyev came to China twice to attend the China-Central Asia Summit and the Third "Belt and Road" International Cooperation Summit Forum, where he and President Xi Jinping had in-depth communication and exchanges on bilateral and regional issues, injecting new impetus into the building of a community of destiny between China, Ukraine and Central Asia.
Under the strategic guidance of the Head of State's diplomacy, China-Uzbekistan relations have achieved leapfrog development in recent years, with fruitful cooperation in various fields, strongly promoting the development and revitalisation of the two countries, and injecting positive energy into the maintenance of peace and stability in the Central Asian region and the world.
Alipova, an expert at the Institute for Strategic and Interregional Studies of the President of Uzbekistan, said the talks between the two leaders have elevated bilateral relations to a new level, continued to consolidate good neighbourliness between the two countries, and opened up new prospects for the development of relations between the two countries.
Building a Green Silk Road
In the vast desert wilderness of Uzbekistan's Kashkadarya and Bukhara regions, solar panels are lined up, emitting dazzling light under the sun.
This is a 1 GW photovoltaic project in Uzbekistan invested by China Energy Construction Gezhouba Overseas Investment Co. This is the first large-scale new energy project invested by Chinese-funded enterprises in Central Asia after the first China-Central Asia Summit in May last year, and the largest photovoltaic project invested by Chinese-funded enterprises in Central Asia within the framework of the "One Belt, One Road". After the project is officially put into operation, the annual power generation will reach 2.4 billion kWh.
Uzbekistan has sufficient light, with the development of photovoltaic industry inherent advantages. On 27 December last year, the first phase of the project, 400 MW, was connected to the grid. In his speech at the ceremony, President Mirziyoyev emphasised that the project is an important achievement of the "Belt and Road" jointly built by China and Uzbekistan, and an important manifestation of the high level of China-Uzbekistan relations and a high degree of mutual trust.
The development of clean energy and the building of a green silk road are "high-frequency words" in the diplomacy of the heads of state, and are also new highlights of the cooperation between China and Ukraine in recent years.
Alexander Sergeyevich, 37, works for a Chinese company that is deeply engaged in the field of green energy in Ukraine. Sergeyevich told reporters: "Uzbekistan used to rely mainly on thermal power generation, and has long faced problems such as insufficient power supply and frequent power cuts. In recent years, more and more Chinese enterprises have come here for investment and cooperation, promoting the energy transformation of Uzbekistan, providing a strong boost to local economic growth and bringing us many jobs."
Today, electric buses from China have become a beautiful scenery in Tashkent, the capital of Ukraine, the largest gas-fired combined cycle power station in Central Asia, Syr Darya 1500 megawatts of gas-fired combined cycle independent power generation project put into operation, the China-Europe (Central Asia) liner freight continued to grow ...... In the "Belt and Road Within the framework of "Belt and Road", China-Ukraine co-operation has been fruitful, with major projects advancing in an orderly manner, connectivity advancing steadily and green economy flourishing.
Building a bridge of people-to-people communication
The results of China-Ukraine multi-disciplinary co-operation on the road of common development have strongly tightened the bond of people's hearts.
The Chinese-Ukrainian construction team is hard at work at the Olympic City project site in Tashkent.
In the words of President Mirziyoyev, this project is of "historic significance" for Uzbekistan. Designed and built by Chinese companies, the Olympic City project will be the largest sports complex in Central Asia. It will also see Uzbekistan host its first major international events - the 2025 Asian Youth Games and Asian Youth Para Games.
"This is a valuable job opportunity." Nordilbek, senior commercial manager of the Olympic City project, told Xinhua, "I was impressed by the dedicated attitude and professional management of the Chinese team, and we have now become very good friends."
For 72-year-old Makhbubahun, a resident of Namangan Oblast, the U.S.-China co-operation has turned the rift valley into a smooth road, making it no longer difficult for family and friends to meet.
Located in the eastern part of Uzbekistan, Namangan Oblast is not easily accessible. Despite the difficulties and dangers, Chinese builders have completed the construction of the first longest tunnel in Central Asia, the Angren-Papu railway tunnel, which passes through complex geological environments such as the Kulami Mountains, the Kuyanid and the Sanisarakshay River.
On 22 June 2016, President Xi Jinping, who is visiting Uzbekistan, witnessed the successful opening of the Angren-Papu railway tunnel by video link from Tashkent.
The famous Uzbek poet Navoi said, "There is nothing better than living in friendship." The friendship between China and Uzbekistan has deep historical and cultural roots. Looking ahead, China and Uzbekistan will continue to work hand in hand to write more new chapters of friendship on the road to building a community of destiny between them.
