Chongqing - On December 4th, the China Chongqing - Uzbekistan Tashkent Economic and Trade Cooperation Exchange Conference was held in Southwest China's Chongqing, exploring new practical cooperation opportunities between the two regions. 

On December 4th, the "China Chongqing - Uzbekistan Tashkent Economic and Trade Cooperation Exchange Conference" was held in Chongqing. (Photo/Deng Yan)

Sister City Relations

Uzbekistan, located in Central Asia's heart, considers Tashkent a crucial industrial center and a robust agricultural zone.

The friendship between Chongqing and Tashkent dates back to 1998 when the two cities signed a friendly cooperation agreement. In recent years, the two regions have engaged in fruitful exchanges and cooperation in channel logistics construction, poverty reduction training, and rural revitalization. 

For instance, the Chongqing-Xinjiang-Europe (Yuxinou) freight train, inaugurated in March 2019, established a direct route from Chongqing to Tashkent. By the end of October this year, it had transported goods worth nearly 2 billion yuan (280 million U.S. dollars).

With the official establishment of sister city relations between Chongqing and Tashkent in 2022, the interaction between the two regions has entered a new phase. Mutual visits have become more frequent, and cooperation in various fields, including economy, trade, and culture, is steadily advancing.

In 2018, Chongqing's Jiulongpo District and Tashkent's Angren City signed an agreement to establish friendly cooperation. To further strengthen and enrich this foundation of friendship, the two regions signed an intent to deepen close cooperation during the conference, aiming to enhance collaboration in trade, education, tourism, and other fields.

"We hope that through this exchange, mutual understanding will be enhanced, and more opportunities for beneficial cooperation will be discovered. The Foreign Affairs Office of the Chongqing Municipal People's Government is willing to play a bridging role, building a platform for mutually beneficial cooperation between Chongqing and Tashkent and promoting the deepening and solidifying of the sister city relationship," said Li Mingquan, Deputy Director-General of the Foreign Affairs Office of the Chongqing Municipal People's Government.

Government Facilitation

"In Tashkent, there are currently 488 Chinese enterprises with an annual income of $2 billion," said Tashkent governor Zoir Mirzayev. "We welcome everyone to do business in Tashkent."

During the business exchange session, representatives from enterprises in Chongqing and Tashkent actively engaged in discussions and negotiations in various fields, including construction materials, tourism, agriculture, automotive and motorcycle, machinery manufacturing, and import-export trade, seeking business opportunities and promoting cooperation.

Deepening Cooperation

In recent years, Chongqing and Uzbekistan have experienced rapid growth in bilateral trade under the "Belt and Road" Initiative. In 2022, the total import and export volume reached 384 million yuan, a year-on-year increase of 156.8%. From January to October 2023, the total import and export volume between the two sides was 1.092 billion yuan, showing a 254% year-on-year growth.

"Looking to the future, we look forward to strengthening mutually beneficial cooperation with Uzbekistan and jointly advancing the iterative upgrading of bilateral economic and trade levels," said Ye Lina, Deputy Director-General of the Chongqing Municipal Commission of Commerce. 

Ye Lina said that Chongqing would actively expand imports of non-ferrous metals, mineral raw materials, fruits and vegetables, and beverages and guide the export of products such as smart connected new energy vehicles, motorcycles, communication equipment, cables, and iron and steel in an orderly manner.