Sunday22 December 2024
centralasiabusiness.com

Construction of the China-Kyrgyzstan-Uzbekistan railway will begin on December 27.

The construction of the railway connecting China, Kyrgyzstan, and Uzbekistan is set to begin on December 27, 2024. This announcement was made by Kyrgyz President Sadyr Japarov during his speech at the People's Kurultai.
Строительство железнодорожной линии «Китай — Кыргызстан — Узбекистан» начнется 27 декабря.

He also announced that official construction work will commence on December 27.

According to him, this railway will serve as a strategic bridge between the East and the West, opening up new opportunities for trade, tourism, and industrial development.

The cooperation agreement for the project implementation was signed on June 6, 2024, between the government of China, the Cabinet of Ministers of Kyrgyzstan, and the government of Uzbekistan.

As per the project, the railway route will traverse mountainous terrain, connecting Kashgar, Torugart, Makmal, Jalal-Abad, and Andijan. The total length of the line will be 486 kilometers.

It is anticipated that the construction of the line will lead to significant changes in the region's logistics. By 2050, the annual cargo volume on this railway is projected to reach 13.5 million tons. This will reduce delivery times for goods by seven days, providing Uzbekistan with an economic benefit of $150–200 million annually through cargo transit.

The project aims not only to strengthen export-import relations for Uzbekistan and other countries in the region but also to create new transit routes. The railway will grant Central Asia access to the Pacific Ocean via China, while providing China with access to the Gulf countries.

The design and construction of the highway will be handled by the Chinese company China Railway International.

To implement the project, a joint company “China-Kyrgyzstan-Uzbekistan Railway Company” has been established, registered in Kyrgyzstan. The Chinese side holds 51% of the company's shares, while Kyrgyzstan and Uzbekistan each own 24.5% stakes.