Xi's state visit upgrades China-Uzbekistan relations

Xinhua | 2016-06-23

by Xinhua writers Yang Yijun, Luo Jun, Li Jianmin  T

In a two-day state visit by Chinese President Xi Jinping, China and Uzbekistan, two important nations along the ancient Silk Road, agreed to upgrade their bilateral relationship to a "comprehensive strategic partnership," vowing to deepen ties in various fields. 
LIFTING RELATIONS 
Following three-hour-long talks in Tashkent on Wednesday, Xi and his Uzbek counterpart, Islam Karimov, signed a joint statement to elevate China-Uzbekistan relations to a "comprehensive strategic partnership."  The upgrade was based on the "unprecedented high standard of China-Uzbekistan high-level interaction, political mutual trust and win-win cooperation" they have scored since establishing a strategic partnership in 2012, said the document.  In the joint statement, both sides outlined the cooperation plan for their new partnership in such areas as political mutual trust and support, the China-proposed Silk Road Economic Belt initiative, national and regional security, cultural and people-to-people exchanges, and collaboration on international affairs.  "The upgrade set a new significant milestone in China-Uzbekistan relations," Chinese Assistant Foreign Minister Li Huilai told a press briefing later Wednesday, noting it "opened a new page in the history of bilateral ties."

READ MORE....