$4.7 Bn China-Kyrgyzstan-Uzbekistan Railway Gets Security Boost
Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi emphasised the importance of security cooperation and the acceleration of the railway project during separate meetings with his counterparts from Uzbekistan and Belarus.
The discussions occurred Thursday evening on the sidelines of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation foreign ministers’ council in Bishkek. The Chinese foreign ministry released two statements outlining the meetings on Friday, according to Reuters.
During talks with Uzbek Foreign Minister Bakhtiyor Saidov, Wang advocated for accelerating the construction of the China-Kyrgyzstan-Uzbekistan railway and implementing more landmark industrialisation projects. The two officials agreed to increase the use of their joint law enforcement and security cooperation mechanism while strengthening coordination within multilateral platforms such as the United Nations, the SCO and the China-Central Asia framework.
The railway project objectives
Beijing views Central Asia as a strategic region for its Belt and Road Initiative. Consequently, security agreements between the nations encompass intelligence sharing, counter-terrorism operations and combating drug trafficking and cybercrime. These measures aim to protect transport corridors and industrial sites funded by Chinese capital.
For Uzbekistan, securing the $4.7 bn railway project remains a primary focus. Construction began in December 2024 and is reportedly progressing ahead of schedule. Uzbek officials expect the transit route to be completed in four years rather than the originally projected six.
The SCO comprises 10 Eurasian member states including China, Russia, India, Pakistan and several Central Asian nations. Wang also held talks with Belarusian Foreign Minister Maxim Ryzhenkov to discuss further regional security integration.
