China–Kyrgyzstan–Uzbekistan railway project enters active construction phase

The update was reported by 24.kg, citing the Ministry of Transport and Communications of Kyrgyzstan.

According to the ministry, officials met with representatives of the China State Railway Group Co., Ltd. to review progress on the project and discuss the next stages of construction. The meeting was attended by Deputy Minister of Transport and Communications Almaz Turgunbayev and Wang Xinshi, a member of the company's board.

The ministry said all key international and investment agreements for the project have already been signed. A general contractor has been selected, financing issues have been resolved, and construction of tunnels, bridges and other infrastructure facilities is now in progress.

The Kyrgyz side stressed the importance of involving local specialists in the project, using domestically produced construction materials where possible, and complying with environmental standards. Representatives of both countries also emphasized the need for transparency throughout the implementation process and agreed to continue close cooperation to complete the railway within the planned timeframe.

The China–Kyrgyzstan–Uzbekistan railway is one of the largest infrastructure projects in the region. The planned route will stretch for about 480 kilometers, more than 304 kilometers of which will run through Kyrgyzstan.

Once completed, the railway is expected to form the southern branch of the Eurasian Land Bridge, providing a direct transport corridor to the markets of Southeast Asia, West Asia and the Middle East. The route is also expected to facilitate freight transport from China to Kyrgyzstan, Central Asian countries, Turkey and, ultimately, the European Union.