President of Uzbekistan Shavkat Mirziyoyev has concluded his official visit to China, during which he attended the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) summit in Tianjin and a series of high-level bilateral meetings in Beijing. 

The visit, at the invitation of Chinese President Xi Jinping, highlighted Uzbekistan’s efforts to expand multilateral and bilateral cooperation in trade, security and infrastructure.

Upon arrival at Binhai International Airport, Mirziyoyev was met by Chinese Transport Minister Liu Wei and other officials. 

From August 31 to September 1, Mirziyoyev participated in the SCO summit and related “SCO+” events at Meijiang Congress Centre, alongside leaders including Xi, Russian President Vladimir Putin of Russia, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Kazakh President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev, Tajik President Emomali Rahmon and United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres.

Speaking at the summit, Mirziyoyev stressed the importance of cooperation amid global uncertainty. 

“A systemic crisis of trust, the spread of conflicts, the weakening of multilateral institutions and the fragmentation of the global trading system are undermining the foundations of the architecture of international security and stability,” he said. “In such circumstances, mutual understanding and solidarity among the SCO countries is not only a valuable asset, but also the key to maintaining peace in our vast region.”

The Uzbek president outlined several priorities for the SCO, including strengthening the organisation’s institutions, expanding membership and fostering security cooperation.

“Today, there is a growing demand for coordinated approaches and new mechanisms for ensuring confidence and security,” he said, proposing the adoption of a SCO declaration on strengthening multilateral partnership for nuclear security.

Other initiatives included restoring the Council of Ministers of Internal Affairs and Public Security, revising the Agreement on Cooperation in Combatting Crime and developing a programme to combat drug addiction until 2030. 

Mirziyoyev also supported the resumption of the SCO-Afghanistan dialogue group to advance socio-economic projects in the country.

On economic cooperation, Mirziyoyev highlighted the need to build “sustainable models of economic cooperation in our vast region” and proposed new multilateral tools, including a Regional Centre for Strategic Materials, an Energy Consortium, a Network of Venture Companies and Funds and a Special Electronic Portal to facilitate investment and business dialogue. 

The head of state also emphasised the strategic potential of transport and logistics corridors linking Central Asia to the Persian Gulf and Indian Ocean, noting that the SCO could develop a “single SCO transport space” connected to China’s One Belt, One Road initiative.

On climate and technology, he stressed the importance of launching a regional platform on climate change adaptation and introducing artificial intelligence (AI) to predict environmental risks. 

“Further deepening of cultural ties and strengthening of the institution of people's diplomacy are important factors of long-term partnership within the SCO,” he added, highlighting initiatives such as the SCO Medical Tourism Alliance and a Great Silk Road Cultural Dialogue.

During the bilateral segment of his visit in Beijing on September 2, Mirziyoyev met with Xi Jinping and Chinese Premier Li Qiang. 

Discussions focused on elevating the Uzbekistan-China partnership, expanding trade and advancing investment projects. 

Mirziyoyev congratulated Xi and the Chinese people on the 80th anniversary of the Great Victory in World War II and praised China’s Global Governance Initiative.

Uzbek-Chinese trade has grown rapidly, reaching $14bn in 2024 and increasing by 23% year-to-date. Both sides noted that the figure could reach $20bn by increasing goods shipments and keeping a balance between exports and imports.

The investment project portfolio between the two countries exceeds $60nn, with 64 projects worth over $10bn launched in 2024, including joint technology parks, industrial zones and BYD electric vehicle (EV) production in Uzbekistan.

The Uzbek president also proposed the creation of an Uzbek-Chinese Artificial Intelligence Development Centre, the opening of Luban Workshops in regional industrial centres and the expansion of educational exchanges, including with reference to Confucius Institutes and vocational education forums. 

“Uzbekistan is currently participating in a major exhibition at the National Museum of China. Art exhibitions are planned to be held in Shanghai and Beijing in 2027,” he noted.

Mirziyoyev held a series of meetings with Chinese corporate leaders, including executives from China National Building Materials (CNBM), China National Petroleum Corporation (CNPC), China National Nuclear Corporation (CNNC) and Henan Investment Group, covering projects in renewable energy, nuclear power, alternative energy, infrastructure and technological innovation.

Discussions with CNPC focused on expanding investment cooperation, particularly the development of underground gas storage and related infrastructure, with Mirziyoyev calling for dedicated “roadmaps” to speed up implementation.

On the sidelines, the Mirziyoyev also met with Russian leader Putin to review bilateral cooperation, emphasising coordinated measures to maintain the momentum of trade, investment and industrial projects. 

The visit concluded with Mirziyoyev attending a military parade in Tiananmen Square on September 3, marking the 80th anniversary of China’s World War II victory, with participation from more than 20 heads of state.

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