On Wednesday, Chinese President Xi Jinping told Mirziyoyev that the two sides should begin work as soon as possible on a railway that would run through Kyrgyzstan to link the two countries and boost landlocked Uzbekistan’s connectivity with the wider world, according to an earlier report from Xinhua.

A Central Asian rail link would also help open new trades as shippers shun the existing overland links through Russia following its invasion of Ukraine and the introduction of Western sanctions.

Xi also pledged Chinese funding, technology and know-how in areas such as new energy vehicles as well as solar, wind and hydropower to support Uzbekistan’s green development strategy.

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The Beijing-based Asian Infrastructure and Investment Bank, China’s answer to the World Bank, has previously approved loans worth US$3.1 billion for the country.

On Thursday it said it had approved further lending to fund 14 projects in the country, including transport, energy, water resources and environmental projects, with a with a memorandum of understanding to be signed in September.

The two countries also agreed to boost cooperation in healthcare, tackling climate change and fighting terrorism and extremism.

Beijing previously defined its relations with Uzbekistan as a “comprehensive strategic partnership”, one of the over 20 different categories it uses to define foreign affairs.

The upgrade to an “all-weather comprehensive strategic partnership” puts it on the same level as countries such as Pakistan, Belarus and Venezuela.

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It means cooperation will be “comprehensive and deep”, and the two partners will support each other in regional and international affairs, according to Xiang Haoyu, a researcher with China Institute of International Studies in Beijing.

“All-weather means bilateral relations can stand the test of a changing international environment, showing ironclad friendship based on high political trust,” Xiang added.

Mirziyoyev said Uzbekistan abides firmly by the one-China principle, strictly opposes external interference in China’s internal affairs and stands ready to provide firm support on issues concerning its core interests, including Taiwan, Xinjiang and human rights, according to Xinhua.

In recent years China has been working to strengthen ties with countries in Central Asia, where the issue of Xinjiang is a particular concern due to family and cultural ties.

A United Nations report has said China may have committed crimes against humanity against Uygurs and other Muslim minority groups in the region – accusations Beijing strongly denies – and the details of what Mirziyoyev said on the subject have not been made public.

Qin Gang vows China will work with Uzbekistan on energy and projects

The two countries also reaffirmed their position on Afghanistan, saying they respected its sovereignty and territorial integrity, opposed interference in its domestic affairs and expressed the hope it could play a part in boosting regional connectivity.

In common with the rest of the world, neither country has officially recognised the Taliban regime since it returned to power in 2021.

However, China has worked to boost unofficial ties with the Islamist group, including welcoming Taliban representatives to last year’s Belt and Road Forum in Beijing, which included a focus on strengthening ties with Central Asia.

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