This year, Uzbekistan once again serves as the Guest of Honor at the China International Import Expo, marking its sixth participation in the Expo's national exhibition. This highlights the close cooperation and friendly relations between China and Uzbekistan, and signifies the deepening of trade and economic ties between the two countries.

According to the reporter, the theme of the national exhibition of Uzbekistan at the 1st China International Import Expo is "Export and Investment Opportunities in Uzbekistan," showcasing high-quality Uzbek products such as textiles, agricultural products, electronics, and pharmaceuticals. Uzbekistan, taking advantage of participating in major exhibitions like the Import Expo, organizes government and business delegations to China for cooperation negotiations, promoting an increasing number of high-quality products into the Chinese market.

Today, China and Uzbekistan have engaged in cooperation in many fields. China is Uzbekistan's largest trading partner. According to statistics, the bilateral trade volume between China and Uzbekistan reached a record high of billions of dollars last year, with a year-on-year increase of over %. From January to September this year, China-Uzbekistan trade continued to grow rapidly, with bilateral trade volume reaching approximately . billion dollars. Meanwhile, Chinese enterprises are actively investing and starting businesses in Uzbekistan, and local cooperation has become a new highlight. According to Uzbek statistics, China's investment and financing in Uzbekistan amounted to nearly billion dollars in 2022, accounting for .% of Uzbekistan's total foreign investment utilization, ranking first among all countries. The number of Chinese enterprises in Uzbekistan has more than doubled in the past few years, exceeding 1,000.

Both sides have implemented a series of significant projects in the fields of energy, chemicals, water conservancy, transportation, and communication, creating a large number of job opportunities. Taking the Syr Darya region of Uzbekistan as an example, Chinese investors have established multiple industrial enterprises in the Syr Darya region, creating numerous local job opportunities. In just one year, the Syr Darya region attracted nearly $0.5 billion in Chinese investment.

China and Uzbekistan have always treated each other with sincerity and conducted exchanges based on mutual trust. Under the guidance of the leaders' diplomacy, the relations between China and Uzbekistan have achieved leapfrog development. Since then, President Shavkat Mirziyoyev of Uzbekistan has visited China three times, especially during his state visit to China this year, when the two heads of state jointly decided to elevate the bilateral relationship to a new height of a new era of all-weather comprehensive strategic partnership, promoting the construction of a shared future for China and Uzbekistan from a higher starting point.

Currently, the high-quality joint construction of the Belt and Road between the two countries continues to expand and deepen, achieving a series of remarkable results. The two sides have consistently provided firm mutual support on issues concerning each other's core interests, maintained close coordination and cooperation within multilateral frameworks such as the United Nations, the Shanghai Cooperation Organization, and the China-Central Asia mechanism, safeguarding common security and development interests.

As the camel bells of the Silk Road once again resound across the Eurasian continent, a new economic bond is coming to life in Central Asia. China and Uzbekistan, two ancient yet vibrant nations, are joining hands to embark on a mutually beneficial journey of economic and trade cooperation. Deepening the alignment of the Belt and Road Initiative with Uzbekistan's "New Uzbekistan" development strategy, both countries continue to firmly support each other on the path to modernization, sharing development opportunities, and jointly planning for new cooperation chapters, thereby continuously injecting new momentum into the development of bilateral relations.