Tang Liangzhi, Deputy Secretary of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Chongqing Municipal Committee and Mayor of the People's Government of Chongqing met with Tajik Ambassador to China Saidzoda Zohir Ozod on March 28.

Tang, on behalf of the CPC Chongqing Municipal Committee and the Chongqing Municipal People's Government, and on behalf of Secretary Chen Miner, extended a warm welcome to Ambassador Saidzoda and his party for their visit to Chongqing. Tang said that President Xi Jinping has recently charted the two sides' course to deepen their cooperation and seek common development in a call with President Emomali Rahmon of Tajikistan. The two will steadily advance the bilateral exchanges and cooperation and contribute to developing the China-Tajikistan comprehensive strategic partnership. As the only municipality directly under the central government administration in central and western China, Chongqing is endowed with prominent regional advantages as a strategic stronghold of the Western Development Strategy and as the intersection of the Belt and Road routes and the Yangtze River Economic Belt, playing a unique and crucial role in China's regional development and opening-up pattern.

Tang said that Tajikistan and Chongqing share similarities in the natural environment. The two have maintained close exchanges and enjoyed a sound foundation for cooperation. In particular, the joint response to the pandemic will deepen the friendship ties between the two. It is hoped that Ambassador Saidzoda's visit to Chongqing will bring closer ties between the two in economy and trade, investment, industry, transportation and logistics, digital economy, and sister city partnerships. Chongqing is willing to import more high-quality agricultural products from Tajikistan that meet market demand.

Tang added that this year marks the 20th anniversary of establishing the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO). In this context, Chongqing is poised to join hands with Tajikistan, which holds the rotating presidency of SCO, to prepare for the China-SCO Forum on Digital Economy, further local exchanges and cooperation, and lift bilateral cooperation in various related fields, including the digital economy, to a new level.

Ambassador Saidzoda extended his congratulations on Chongqing's economic and social development achievements and thanked Chongqing's support in Tajikistan's fight against the pandemic. He said that Chongqing is renowned for its advanced industry and high level of intelligence in addition to natural beauty. In recent years, the increasingly close relationship between the two has brought about remarkable results, permitting broad cooperation prospects.

Tajikistan is willing to team up with Chongqing to carry out the Belt and Road Initiative, support Chongqing in hosting the China-SCO Forum on Digital Economic, further strengthen local exchanges, and expand the bilateral cooperation in modern agriculture, digital economy, cultural tourism, education, and sister city partnerships. Chongqing enterprises are sincerely welcomed to invest in Tajikistan.