Premier calls for enhancing nation's ties with Uzbekistan

Premier Li Qiang shakes hands with visiting Uzbek Prime Minister Abdulla Aripov, who attended the closing ceremony of the 19th Asian Games on Sunday in Hangzhou, Zhejiang province. （FENG YONGBIN/CHINA DAILY）

Joint construction of Belt and Road, expansion of cooperation discussed

Premier Li Qiang called on Sunday for China and Uzbekistan to enhance Belt and Road cooperation, promote the synergy of development strategies and deepen mutually beneficial cooperation in various fields.

Li made the remarks during a meeting in Hangzhou, the capital of Zhejiang province, with visiting Uzbek Prime Minister Abdulla Aripov, who attended the closing ceremony of the 19th Asian Games on Sunday.

Li said that China and Uzbekistan are close neighbors who share weal and woe. China is willing to work with Uzbekistan to continuously transform the important consensus reached by the two heads of state into concrete actions and tangible outcomes, and enrich the content of the comprehensive strategic partnership between the two countries in the new era, he said.

He underlined the need for both countries to promote the joint construction of the Belt and Road, fully play the role of the intergovernmental cooperation committee, enhance the integration of development strategies, expand economic and trade cooperation, boost connectivity and increase energy collaboration.

China will steadfastly support Uzbekistan in safeguarding its national sovereignty, independence and territorial integrity, and in following a development path that suits its own national conditions, the premier said.

The country encourages more Chinese companies to invest and do business in Uzbekistan and supports Uzbekistan in building an innovative economic zone, he added.

Li also called on both countries to strengthen people-to-people exchanges and cooperation in education, culture, tourism, sports, healthcare and other areas.

China is willing to work with Central Asian countries, including Uzbekistan, to implement the outcomes of the China-Central Asia Summit, and promote cooperation in important areas such as investment, trade and connectivity, in order to build a closer China-Central Asia community with a shared future, he said.

Aripov congratulated China on the successful hosting of the Hangzhou Asian Games, and said that China has achieved remarkable achievements in economic and social development, which has attracted worldwide attention.

Uzbekistan attaches great importance to its comprehensive strategic partnership with China, adheres to the one-China principle and firmly supports and actively participates in the joint construction of the Belt and Road, he said.

Aripov said that Uzbekistan is ready to learn from China's experience in deepening reform, expanding opening-up, and comprehensively promoting Chinese-style modernization, and to intensify cooperation in various fields on the basis of equality, friendship and mutual benefit.

Uzbekistan wants to work with China to jointly combat the "three evil forces" of terrorism, separatism and extremism, and promote China-Central Asia cooperation, in order to elevate the Uzbek-Chinese relationship to a new level, he added.