Key facts
- China and Uzbekistan upgraded their relationship to an "all-weather" comprehensive strategic partnership.
- The two countries aim to increase trade turnover to $20 billion.
- BYD will assemble hybrid and electric cars in Uzbekistan through a joint venture.
Chinese Premier Li Qiang has called for deeper cooperation with Uzbekistan in areas such as minerals and artificial intelligence as Beijing vies with Washington for influence in Central Asia. Li told President Shavkat Mirziyoyev on Saturday that Beijing was ready to strengthen strategic communication and expand mutually beneficial cooperation with Uzbekistan. He urged the two countries to step up cooperation in energy, minerals, finance and connectivity, and deepen collaboration in fields such as artificial intelligence. Uzbekistan and China have quietly elevated their partnership to an "all-weather" comprehensive strategic partnership, a designation previously only given to Pakistan in the region. This signals China's strategic expectations in Central Asia. The two nations aim to increase trade turnover to $20 billion from $14 billion at the end of 2023, with Chinese investment in Uzbekistan having increased fivefold to the same amount. A joint venture between BYD and UzAuto will assemble hybrid and electric cars, with plans for local assembly of electric buses. China also called for work on the China-Kyrgyzstan-Uzbekistan railway to start as soon as possible.