Uzbekistan-Kyrgyzstan-China railway project expected to be the most important corridor in Belt and Road Initiative

In particular, the parties discussed the proposed railway construction routes. Speaking to the participants of the online conference, Elyor Ganiyev once again emphasized the importance of rail transport during the pandemic.

The intensification of lockdown measures has a major impact on national economies, particularly in the transport sector. Despite the difficult situation in countries, rail transport is now virtually unrestricted. This fact alone demonstrates the importance of the Uzbekistan-Kyrgyzstan-China railway project. This railway can become the most important transport corridor within the framework of the initiative “One Belt, One Road”, said Ganiyev.

The Minister of Transport and Roads of Kyrgyzstan noted that all three routes were the subject of SWOT analysis, on the basis of which the combined track “Torugart - Arpa - Kosh-Dobo - Makmal - Jalal-Abad” was considered as the best in terms of the formation/transportation of cargo and the further development of the regions of Kyrgyzstan.

The Chinese representative said that the construction of the railway along the route proposed by the Kyrgyz side is a good option from a financial perspective. However, since the experts did not reach a common conclusion on the width and route of the railway, he suggested reviewing other proposals.

Considering these aspects, the parties agreed to continue discussions on the most appropriate route for the construction of the railway, as well as on financial and economic issues, the investment model of the project for the future operation of the railway and the technical-economic justification.