TASHKENT, Oct. 17 -- Chinese Premier Li Qiang said on Saturday that China stands ready to strengthen the alignment of development strategies with Uzbekistan and deepen cooperation in energy and resources, artificial intelligence, modern agriculture and other areas.
Li, who is on an official visit to the Central Asian country, made the remarks when holding talks with Uzbek Prime Minister Abdulla Aripov.
Chinese President Xi Jinping and Uzbek President Shavkat Mirziyoyev met in August, charting the course for further development of bilateral relations, Li said.
Noting that next year marks the 35th anniversary of bilateral relations, Li said that China is ready to take this opportunity with Uzbekistan to carry forward their traditional friendship, deepen political mutual trust, enhance practical cooperation, and deepen the building of the China-Uzbekistan community with a shared future, so as to deliver greater benefits to the people of both countries.
Li said that China is ready to work with Uzbekistan to further leverage the complementary strengths of the two economies, continuously enhance connectivity in infrastructure, finance and other areas, advance the high-quality construction of the China-Kyrgyzstan-Uzbekistan railway, and strive for more tangible outcomes.
China is also willing to import more high-quality and specialty products from Uzbekistan, and welcomes Uzbekistan to make full use of platforms such as the China International Import Expo to actively explore the Chinese market, he added.
Li encouraged the two sides to continue to make good use of the mutual visa exemption policy, expand two-way personnel exchanges, strengthen exchanges and cooperation in culture, tourism, education, youth, locality and other fields, and constantly enhance mutual understanding and friendship between the two peoples.
China stands ready to strengthen coordination and cooperation with Uzbekistan within multilateral frameworks such as the Shanghai Cooperation Organization, the China-Central Asia mechanism and the United Nations, work with all parties to implement the four global initiatives, and advance an equal and orderly multipolar world and a universally beneficial and inclusive economic globalization, he said.
For his part, Aripov said that Uzbekistan admires China's remarkable achievements in development, and sincerely appreciates China's strong support for Uzbekistan's reform and development efforts.
Under the joint guidance of the two heads of state, Uzbekistan-China relations have continued to reach new heights, he noted.
Aripov said that Uzbekistan is willing to work with China to fully promote the construction of the China-Kyrgyzstan-Uzbekistan railway and other projects of Belt and Road cooperation, deepen mutually beneficial cooperation in economic and trade investment, agriculture, energy and mineral resources, customs, finance, digital technology, artificial intelligence, ecological protection and other fields, strengthen exchanges in tourism, education, locality and other fields, enhance multilateral coordination, and promote continuous development of the Uzbekistan-China all-weather comprehensive strategic partnership for a new era.
Before the talks, the two leaders jointly watched a video showcasing practical cooperation between China and Uzbekistan across various fields.
Following the talks, they witnessed the signing of multiple cooperation documents covering trade and economy, education, customs, health and poverty reduction, among other areas. During the visit, the two sides also signed cooperation documents on e-commerce, climate and media, among other fields.
On Saturday afternoon, Li also laid a wreath at the Independence Monument.
