Tashkent, Uzbekistan, May 16
By Demir Azizov – Trend:
The One Belt-One Road project needs to be complemented with concrete programs of regional development, said Uzbekistan’s President Shavkat Mirziyoyev.
He made the remarks addressing the round table of country leaders, held as part of the One Belt-One Road international forum in Beijing, a representative of the Uzbek president’s Administration told reporters.
Mirziyoyev recalled what an important role once played the Great Silk Road in relations between various regions.
He emphasized that the One Belt-One Road project, designed to revive the Great Silk Road, is of great importance in further expansion of economic cooperation, creation of even more favorable conditions for trade and investments, development of transportation and communication infrastructure, the potential of partnership in agriculture, tourism, education and culture. It envisages the effective use of opportunities of developed countries, and their assistance to developing countries with a growing economy.
The project’s important component, according to Mirziyoyev, is also the development of a comprehensive action program for cooperation in creating the transportation and logistics routes linking Central Asia through China and Russia to the markets of South and South-East Asia and European countries.
The Uzbek head also believes that the railway network China-Kyrgyzstan-Uzbekistan-Afghanistan can be integrated into the extensive network of the One Belt-One Road transport corridors, with access to the ports of Pakistan and Iran in the Indian Ocean.
According to Mirziyoyev, it is necessary to encourage direct dialogue between business communities and pay attention to the strengthening of cultural, humanitarian ties, active use of the existing big tourism potential.
The Uzbek president also expressed his confidence that the initiative of China’s President Xi Jinping on holding an international forum will allow forming a permanently functioning dialogue platform for the purpose of exchanging views and practical cooperation within the One Belt-One Road project.
Shavkat Mirziyoyev was on a state visit in China on May 11-13 at the invitation of China’s President Xi Jinping. He also attended the One Belt-One Road international forum.