Xi Jinping Holds Talks with President Shavkat Mirziyoyev of Uzbekistan The Two Heads of State Agree to Carry Forward China-Uzbekistan Friendship from Generation to Generation and Promote China-Uzbekistan Relations to Inherit the Past and Usher in the Futu

On May 12, 2017, President Xi Jinping held talks with President Shavkat Mirziyoyev of Uzbekistan at the Great Hall of the People. The two heads of state agreed to make joint efforts to carry forward China-Uzbekistan friendship from generation to generation and promote China-Uzbekistan relations to inherit the past and usher in the future, so as to better benefit the two peoples.

Xi Jinping pointed out that Uzbekistan is a close and important neighbor of China. Since China and Uzbekistan established diplomatic relations 25 years ago, under the joint efforts of both sides, China-Uzbekistan relations have achieved leapfrog development and the two sides have established a comprehensive strategic partnership featuring sincere mutual trust, mutual benefit and win-win results. At present, the two countries have enjoyed close high-level exchanges and consolidated political mutual trust. Both sides have closely cooperated under the framework of the joint construction of the "Belt and Road" and implemented a series of major cooperation projects, which have brought tangible benefits to the two peoples. China is committed to developing all-weather friendship with Uzbekistan. The two sides should support each other on issues involving respective core interests and major concerns, and continuously consolidate and deepen political and strategic mutual trust, enable bilateral relations to better facilitate the common development and prosperity of the two countries. China is willing to keep close communication and coordination with Uzbekistan on international issues, Central Asian situation, the development of Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO), and other fields.

Xi Jinping stressed that Uzbekistan is one of the first countries in the world to support and participate in the "Belt and Road" construction. China and Uzbekistan have achieved fruitful results from cooperation of the "Belt and Road" construction, which have become the main line of bilateral cooperation. China is willing to deeply tap the potential with Uzbekistan and promote China and Uzbekistan to gain new progress in cooperation of the "Belt and Road" construction. The two sides should enhance the docking of development strategies and jointly plan the major direction, major field and major projects of bilateral cooperation. The two sides should fully tap economic and trade cooperation potential, further expand the scale of bilateral trade and optimize trade structure so as to achieve the long-term, sound and stable development of bilateral trade. China is willing to expand cooperation with Uzbekistan in sectors like production capacity, investment, industrial parks, and infrastructure construction on the basis of equal treatment, free will, mutual benefit and win-win results.

Shavkat Mirziyoyev stated that China is a great neighbor of Uzbekistan. China's achievements in economic and social development are admired by people across the world. Under current international situation, China is a positive factor that is crucial to the development of world peace and stability. Uzbekistan thanked China for supporting Uzbekistan's choice of taking a development path that suitable to its national conditions. Uzbekistan sticks to the one-China policy and supports China to safeguard its own interests and major concerns. Uzbekistan also supports China's position in fighting against the "three evil forces". Uzbekistan is committed to consolidating and developing China-Uzbekistan comprehensive strategic partnership and enhancing high-level exchanges between the two countries. Taking the "Belt and Road" construction as an opportunity, Uzbekistan is willing to deepen cooperation in economy, trade, investment, production capacity, infrastructure construction, water conservancy, locality and people-to-people and cultural exchanges, and enhance coordination and cooperation under multilateral frameworks including the UN, and the SCO.

After the talks, the two heads of state signed the Joint Statement Between the People's Republic of China and the Republic of Uzbekistan, and jointly witnessed the signing of bilateral cooperation documents in such fields as economy, technology, transportation, medical care, agriculture, hydroelectricity, small and medium enterprises, infrastructure construction, tourism, regional exchanges and other areas.

Prior to the talks, Xi Jinping held a welcoming ceremony for Shavkat Mirziyoyev at the square outside the East Gate of the Great Hall of the People. Peng Liyuan, Wang Huning, Li Zhanshu, Vice Chairman of the Standing Committee of the National People's Congress Wang Chen, Yang Jiechi, Vice Chairman of the National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference Zhang Qingli and others were present.

(From the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of China)