China-Kyrgyzstan-Uzbekistan railway project strategic for regional connectivity, prosperity

BEIJING -- Chinese President Xi Jinping said Friday that the construction of the China-Kyrgyzstan-Uzbekistan railway is a strategic decision made by the three governments to promote regional connectivity, prosperity and stability. Xi said that efforts should be made to build the railway into a new demonstration project for Belt and Road cooperation, so as to better contribute to the economic and social development and the improvement of people's well-being in the region along the route and to inject new momentum into building a closer China-Central Asia community with a shared future. Kyrgyz President Sadyr Japarov, attending the ceremony held in Jalalabad, Kyrgyzstan, said that the railway is not only a transport corridor, but also an important strategic bridge connecting countries of the East and the West. Uzbek President Shavkat Mirziyoyev, in a congratulatory letter to the ceremony, said that the commencement of the railway project is an important measure in implementing the consensus of the three heads of state, promoting mutually beneficial cooperation, and advancing Belt and Road cooperation, which has great historic significance.