Kyrgyz President Sadyr Japarov has called on partners from the Persian Gulf countries to take part in the joint implementation of the mega-project for the construction of the China-Kyrgyzstan-Uzbekistan railway, Turanews.kz reports.
Japarov made the call at the Summit “Central Asia – Cooperation Council for the Arab States of the Gulf” in the city of Jeddah, Saudi Arabia.
“I call on our partners from the Gulf countries to take part in the joint implementation of the mega-project for the construction of the China-Kyrgyzstan-Uzbekistan railway, which will strengthen our interregional trade and economic cooperation,” Japarov said.
The Kyrgyz president said that the expansion of transport and logistics links, including rail and air, will facilitate the movement of goods, capital and people between regions.
“This will not only stimulate trade, but also promote cultural exchange,” Japarov said.
To this end, Japarov proposed the following step-by-step actions:
- Create a visa-free zone within our regions.
- Encourage and support our airlines in opening and expanding regular flights between the capitals.
- Develop joint tourist routes.
- Strengthen interbank cooperation.
- Develop trade and investment cooperation.
The summit was attended by the heads of Kyrgyzstan, Turkmenistan, Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, Tajikistan, as well as Bahrain, Qatar, Kuwait, the United Arab Emirates, Oman and Saudi Arabia.
The China-Kyrgyzstan-Uzbekistan railway is a proposed railway line that would connect China’s Xinjiang province with Uzbekistan via Kyrgyzstan. The railway would be 800 kilometers long and would cost an estimated $8 billion to build.
The railway is seen as a major economic development project that would boost trade and investment in the region. It would also create jobs and improve transportation links between China, Kyrgyzstan and Uzbekistan.
The Kyrgyz president’s call for Persian Gulf investment in the railway is a sign of the growing importance of the region to Central Asia. The Persian Gulf states are major investors in the region, and their investment in the railway would be a significant boost to the project.
