BEIJING, May 7 -- China is willing to deepen cooperation with Uzbekistan in energy and resources, connectivity, digital economy, green economy and other fields, create more landmark projects, and advance the high-standard and high-quality construction of the China-Kyrgyzstan-Uzbekistan railway, Chinese Premier Li Qiang said on Thursday.
Li made the remarks while meeting with visiting Prime Minister of the Republic of Uzbekistan Abdulla Aripov in Beijing.
Noting that the current international situation is complex and intricate, Li said that as all-weather comprehensive strategic partners for a new era, China and Uzbekistan should unite and work together more closely.
China is willing to work with Uzbekistan to follow the strategic guidance of the two heads of state, consolidate political mutual trust, strengthen mutual support, expand all-round mutually beneficial cooperation, and promote more outcomes in building a China-Uzbekistan community with a shared future, Li added.
China stands ready to enhance the alignment of development strategies with Uzbekistan, continuously promote the liberalization and facilitation of trade and investment, said Li. He noted that China is willing to import more high-quality products from Uzbekistan and encourage capable Chinese enterprises to invest in Uzbekistan, with the hope that Uzbekistan will safeguard their legitimate rights and interests.
Li said that both sides should further make good use of the mutual visa exemption policy, open more direct flights, enhance exchanges and cooperation in culture, tourism, education, youth and other fields, and increase mutual understanding and friendship between the people of the two countries.
China is also willing to closely collaborate with Uzbekistan in multilateral mechanisms such as the United Nations and the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO), promote the sound development of the China-Central Asia mechanism, actively implement the four major global initiatives, and advance the development of the international order in a more just and reasonable direction.
For his part, Aripov said under the strategic guidance of the two heads of state, the Uzbekistan-China all-weather comprehensive strategic partnership for a new era has maintained high-quality development and become a model of good neighborliness and friendship.
He said that Uzbekistan firmly supports the one-China principle and spoke highly of China's strong support for Uzbek reform and development.
Uzbekistan is willing to further enhance high-level exchanges with China, make good use of mechanisms such as the Intergovernmental Cooperation Committee, actively participate in the Belt and Road Initiative, enhance cooperation in trade, investment, agriculture, connectivity, culture, education, tourism and other fields, and jointly combat the "three evil forces" of terrorism, extremism and separatism, said Aripov.
He said that Uzbekistan is willing to closely coordinate and cooperate within multilateral frameworks such as the SCO and the China-Central Asia mechanism to promote greater development of Uzbekistan-China relations.
