On November 21, 2023, Member of the Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee and Foreign Minister Wang Yi and Foreign Minister of Uzbekistan Bakhtiyor Saidov held the first Foreign Ministers’ Strategic Dialogue between China and Uzbekistan in Beijing. The two sides had an all-round and in-depth communication on implementing the important common understandings reached by the two heads of state and strengthening the alignment of development strategies, reached extensive common understandings, and jointly announced the establishment of the mechanism of Foreign Ministers’ Strategic Dialogue between the two countries.
Wang Yi said that China and Uzbekistan are friendly neighbors with a shared future. No matter how the international situation changes, China-Uzbekistan relations have always maintained sound and steady development and been full of vitality. Since last year, President Xi Jinping and President Shavkat Mirziyoyev have successfully paid visits to each other’s country. On the sidelines of the third Belt and Road Forum for International Cooperation, the two heads of state held another meeting, agreeing to advance the building of a China-Uzbekistan community with a shared future, and painting a blueprint for the development of bilateral relations. The prime ministers of the two countries also had a productive meeting this year. The close high-level interaction shows the high level and uniqueness of China-Uzbekistan relations, and also demonstrates the distinct features of relations between the two countries featuring mutual respect, good-neighborly friendship, solidarity in trying times, and mutual benefit. China is ready to work with Uzbekistan to make good use of the new platform of China-Uzbekistan Foreign Ministers’ Strategic Dialogue, advance all-round mutually beneficial cooperation and speed up the building of a China-Uzbekistan community with a shared future. To that end, Wang Yi made a four-point proposal.
First, the two countries need to consolidate the belief of solidarity and mutual trust. The two sides need to continue to support each other at crucial moments, and safeguard the political foundation of relations between the two countries and international fairness and justice. The two sides need to advocate and act upon true multilateralism, and make the global governance system more just and equitable.
Second, the two countries need to foster the engine for common development. The two sides need to take high-quality Belt and Road cooperation ushering into a new stage of high-quality development as an opportunity to align the eight major steps to support the joint pursuit of Belt and Road cooperation in a comprehensive way, and speed up common development and prosperity. The two sides need to implement well the medium- to long-term plan for China-Uzbekistan cooperation in economy, trade and investment, and deepen exchanges and cooperation in economy, trade and investment, finance, connectivity, agriculture, energy, and green development, among other fields.
Third, the two countries need to cultivate public opinion for everlasting friendship. The two sides need to host the Culture Day activities in each other’s country, and expand cooperation in the Luban Workshop, education, poverty alleviation, tourism, localities, and construction of the innovative economic zone, among others. China supports Uzbekistan in holding the 2025 Asian Youth Games, and supports the hosting of the first China-Uzbekistan Forum on Local Cooperation.
Fourth, the two countries need to safeguard peace and stability. The two sides need to further strengthen cooperation in counter-terrorism, counternarcotics, cracking down on transnational organized crimes, and cyber- and bio-security. China opposes interference by any forces in Central Asian countries’ internal affairs under any pretexts.
Bakhtiyor Saidov said that President Shavkat Mirziyoyev and President Xi Jinping had successful meetings and maintained close communication, steering the course of Uzbekistan-China relations and opening a new chapter in bilateral cooperation. Uzbekistan values the solid mutual trust between the two heads of state and good neighborliness and friendliness between Uzbekistan and China, supports a series of global initiatives put forth by President Xi Jinping, and will stay committed to the one-China principle, firmly support each other, and deepen strategic mutual trust. Uzbekistan congratulated China on the success of the third Belt and Road Forum for International Cooperation not long ago, which has provided an important platform for promoting the common development and prosperity of all countries. Mutually beneficial and win-win cooperation between Uzbekistan and China is of crucial importance for Uzbekistan to accelerate diversified development. Uzbekistan fully agrees with China’s proposal, and looks forward to deepening all-round cooperation between the two countries in a comprehensive way, so as to take the Uzbekistan-China comprehensive strategic partnership to a new level.
The two sides said that they will further strengthen coordination within such multilateral frameworks as the United Nations, and the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation, promote the building of the China-Central Asia mechanism, and safeguard regional peace, development, security and stability.
The two sides also had an exchange of views on the Palestinian-Israeli conflict, among others. Wang Yi expounded on China’s principled position, and introduced the recent visit to China by a delegation of Arab-Islamic foreign ministers. Bakhtiyor Saidov highly appreciated China’s efforts to uphold justice, and agreed that the two-state solution must be adhered to so as to jointly promote the just settlement of the Palestinian question.
Source: In China Embassy
