BAKU, Azerbaijan, November 20. Kyrgyzstan is planning to expand and modernize its container terminals, the country’s Deputy Minister of Transport and Communications of Kyrgyzstan Bekjan Rysmendeev said in a statement to Trend.
"We are working in collaboration with the People's Republic of China and the Republic of Uzbekistan to begin construction of the China-Kyrgyzstan-Uzbekistan railway. This is a transcontinental railway transit corridor, and the project is quite ambitious, with an estimated investment of around $4-$7 billion.
The railway project is expected to facilitate the transport of goods through the Central Corridor, increasing the annual cargo flow by approximately 7–10 million tons. This is a significant project aimed at unlocking the full transit potential of the Middle Corridor," he said.
In addition to railway development, Kyrgyzstan has begun work on a road bridge connecting China and Kyrgyzstan, the deputy minister noted.
"Currently, there are two border crossings, with a third one now operational. This new crossing will shorten the distance between Chinese cities and Bishkek by about 170 kilometers, increasing the capacity for cross-border trade. In the future, we plan to allow up to a thousand vehicles to cross through this point each day. Container terminals are already operational in two cities in Kyrgyzstan, and we have plans to further expand and modernize them," he added.
Rysmendeev emphasized that Kyrgyzstan, being a landlocked country at the heart of the Eurasian continent, faces unique challenges.
"We must actively develop international transport corridors and play a key role in them. Currently, we are focusing on the East-West corridor and are closely monitoring the implementation of the North-South project, which also passes through Azerbaijan," he said.
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