Uzbekistan - China trade reaches $20 bln

In 2023, the trade volume between Uzbekistan and China reached almost $14 billion for the first time in history. During the first quarter of the year, mutual trade increased by 27%. By effectively utilizing existing reserves, there are plans to boost mutual trade volume to $20 billion in the upcoming years. This was announced during the 7th meeting of the Uzbekistan-China intergovernmental cooperation committee. 

At the beginning of the meeting, Prime Minister of Uzbekistan and Deputy Prime Minister of the People's Republic of China discussed various aspects of their bilateral cooperation.

Throughout the discussions, Uzbekistan proposed initiatives across several sectors including energy, agriculture, security, science and transportation. Specifically, they extended invitations to top Chinese universities specializing in science to collaborate on educational and scientific programs with Uzbek universities in high-demand areas.

More than 4,500 students are currently studying Chinese in Uzbekistan. There is also a plan to enable 1,000 students to study and enhance their skills at a Chinese higher education institution in the future.

During the meeting, significant focus was placed on advancements in agriculture. In 2023, the export value of agricultural and food products to China was projected to rise by 36%, reaching $192 million. In addition, the list of fruits, vegetables, and food products that Uzbekistan supplies to China has now expanded to include 23 types.