Chinese premier meets Uzbek PM in Shanghai

SHANGHAI -- Chinese Premier Li Qiang on Monday met with Uzbek Prime Minister Abdulla Aripov, who is in Shanghai for the 7th China International Import Expo.

On China-Uzbekistan ties, Li noted that the two heads of state have met twice this year, reaching important common understandings on developing an all-weather comprehensive strategic partnership for a new era, and on building a China-Uzbekistan community with a shared future from a higher starting point.

China will work with Uzbekistan to transform those common understandings into concrete actions and cooperation results so as to bring more benefits to the people of the two countries, Li said.

China and Uzbekistan should always view their relations from a strategic, long-term perspective, provide firm mutual support on issues concerning each other's core interests and major concerns, and be trustworthy friends and partners, Li said.

The two countries should further align their development strategies, expand economic and trade cooperation, strengthen connectivity infrastructure construction, and build the China-Kyrgyzstan-Uzbekistan railway into a flagship project of the Belt and Road cooperation, he said.

Li also stressed tapping into cooperation potential in emerging industries such as new energy, the digital economy, artificial intelligence, cross-border e-commerce, 5G and green mining.

China stands ready to strengthen cooperation with Uzbekistan in areas such as culture, education, tourism and poverty reduction, and to facilitate the people-to-people exchange, Li said.

The two countries should continue to strengthen their coordination and cooperation within multilateral mechanisms such as the United Nations, the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) and the China-Central Asia Mechanism, and safeguard the legitimate rights and interests of the two countries and all other developing countries, he added.

Aripov spoke highly of China's development achievements and its increasing global influence, saying China has been sharing its development opportunities and achievements with the world.

Uzbekistan firmly abides by the one-China principle and supports the Belt and Road Initiative, Aripov said, expressing the willingness to expand practical cooperation on trade, investment, energy, manufacturing, connectivity, people-to-people exchange, and transportation and logistics.

He also stressed jointly combating the "three evil forces" of terrorism, extremism and separatism.

Uzbekistan is ready to strengthen coordination and cooperation with China within the framework of the SCO and the China-Central Asia Mechanism to promote the greater development of Uzbekistan-China relations, he said.