Working to forge a better partnership with China

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RELATIONS between China and Uzbekistan date back centuries. The Consul General of Uzbekistan to Shanghai says this strong relationship can be further strengthened in many fields including trade, logistics and tourism. Yao Minji reports.

Saidkamol Agzamkhodjaev, consul general of Uzbekistan to Shanghai, hasn't had much free time since he arrived in the city early last November. He has been busy traveling to the consulate's jurisdictions - Anhui, Fujian, Jiangsu, Jiangxi and Zhejiang provinces - to introduce the favorable investment conditions Uzbekistan has created for Chinese companies.

The two countries are marking the 20th anniversary of establishing diplomatic relations. This occurred in 1992, barely one year after the Republic of Uzbekistan was founded. The consulate in Shanghai, sister city of the country's capital Tashkent, opened in 2006.

"When I arrived last November, it was my first visit to the beautiful city. I did a lot of reading before coming here, but the past months of working in the city has completely redefined my imagination," the consul general tells Shanghai Daily.

"Shanghai is clean and decorated nicely, a skillful combination of Eastern and European styles in urban planning with a lot of tall buildings that are unique and deeply rooted in history."

Such fusion of Eastern and Western elements is essential in relations between China and Uzbekistan, which go back centuries. Such ancient exchanges have shaped the relations of the two nations today.

"The people of Uzbekistan and China share a common Eastern mentality, similar traditions and customs, which help me greatly in establishing trust and fruitful contacts within political and economic circles not only in Shanghai, but also in the five provinces of my jurisdiction," Agzamkhodjaev says.

Bilateral relations originated when the caravan routes of the famous Silk Road trade began, with ancient Uzbekistan people actively involved.

"It is well-known that Amir Temur (a ruler of Central Asia during the late 12th century and early 13th century) and his successors exchanged official diplomatic missions with the imperial court of China back then," he says.

For centuries, the region of Uzbekistan served as a bridge for China to the West through which products made by Chinese craftsmen were exported to the Middle East and Europe. Along with trade, arts and culture from a wide variety of places were also well-mixed into a unique period of history for Uzbekistan, making it an intriguing country for Chinese to visit.

Ties of friendship and mutual understanding, which were established with China 20 years ago, are cherished in Uzbekistan.

The state visits of President Hu Jintao to Uzbekistan in June 2010 and President Islam Karimov to China in June 2012 have opened a new page in the history of Uzbek-Chinese relations and confirmed readiness to further deepen cooperation on the basis of the Agreement on Partnership Relations of Friendship and Cooperation, signed in 2005.

"The official visit of our President Islam Karimov in June 2012 has raised Uzbek-Chinese relations to a qualitatively new stage. It is undoubtedly a memorable one in terms of the historical significance through the signing of the Joint Declaration on Strategic Partnership," Agzamkhodjaev says.

Uzbekistan attaches great importance to further strengthening the Shanghai Cooperation Organization and its participation in the activities of the organization, which has become a major factor in strengthening security and stability in the region and the world at large.

In October 2011, China and Uzbekistan established the Commission of Intergovernmental Cooperation, and held its first meeting in Beijing. Through this mechanism, cooperation will be quickly diversified and more fruitful results will be achieved, Agzamkhodjaev says.

Increasing tourism

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