Envoy lauds Sino-Uzbek relations, pledges deeper mutual benefits

China and Uzbekistan have achieved remarkable cooperation in areas such as infrastructure, energy and agriculture, and the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region can help advance bilateral ties through its financial prowess and global network, Yu Jun, Chinese ambassador to Uzbekistan, said on Friday.

Yu made the remarks as Hong Kong's largest-ever trade delegation visited Uzbekistan to deepen policy and business ties.

Yu described cooperation between China and Uzbekistan across various sectors as fruitful, noting that China has been Uzbekistan's largest trading partner and a leading source of investment for many years.

Citing Uzbekistan statistics, Yu said that bilateral trade exceeded $17 billion in 2025, while China's investment and financing accounted for nearly one-third of Uzbekistan's total foreign capital, ranking at the top. In the first quarter of 2026, bilateral trade surpassed $3.1 billion, up 30 percent year-on-year.

The number of registered Chinese enterprises in Uzbekistan has doubled to more than 5,300 in three years. Major projects in energy, chemicals, water resources, transportation and telecommunications, Yu said, have created a large number of jobs and contributed positively to the local economy, industrial upgrading and people's well-being.

Among the projects, he highlighted the China-Kyrgyzstan-Uzbekistan Railway, which is currently under construction, and will boost connectivity and growth in countries along the route once completed.

He also noted that Chinese enterprises have completed landmark buildings such as the three bank headquarters and the Olympic town in Uzbekistan's capital, Tashkent, using funds from Chinese lenders.

Yu added that the two nations' collaboration in green technology, renewable energy and electric vehicles has also been fruitful.

For example, Chinese EV maker BYD has fully launched a production line in Uzbekistan, with an annual capacity of 50,000 vehicles. In modern agriculture, both countries are actively promoting cooperation in saline-land treatment and drought-resistant crop cultivation, while Chinese water-saving drip irrigation technology has also been gradually adopted across the Central Asian nation, he said.

A 70-strong delegation, led by Hong Kong Chief Executive John Lee Ka-chiu, arrived in Uzbekistan on Wednesday for the second leg of the group's trip to Central Asia, following a visit to Kazakhstan.

The delegation inked a total of 28 cooperation agreements with counterparts in Uzbekistan, and the SAR government signed or exchanged seven cooperation documents with Uzbek authorities.

Talking about the Hong Kong delegation's visit, Yu said he is full of expectations for its outcomes. He said that he believes the SAR's unique strengths — as a global financial, trade and shipping hub — can help advance the China-Uzbekistan all-weather comprehensive strategic partnership.

In finance, for example, Hong Kong's mature capital markets, diversified funding sources and global capital pool can help Uzbekistan broaden financing, while also enjoying integrated financial services such as syndicated loans, bond issuances and asset management for key projects, said Yu, adding that this would enable Uzbekistan to optimize its foreign capital structure, lower financing costs and empower economic development.

Hong Kong's free-port policy and global networks can facilitate the export of Uzbek agricultural, mineral and textile products to East Asia, Southeast Asia and beyond, while building a two-way trade platform that would diversify supplies and improve trade structures.

In addition, the city also has seasoned top professionals in law, accounting, intellectual property and project management who understand global rules.

They can offer compliance, risk control and negotiation services to help Uzbekistan align with international standards and facilitate project implementation.

Yu said he hopes the delegation's visit will deliver tangible results. This will include a standing liaison mechanism between Hong Kong SAR and Uzbek officials; consensus on finance, logistics, the digital economy and green growth; and new business deals — thus ushering in a new era of cooperation.