In Almaty, Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi and Uzbekistan Foreign Minister Bakhtiyor Saidov met for the Sixth China–Central Asia Foreign Ministers’ Meeting. Against a backdrop of rising trade tensions, Wang Yi urged solidarity among like-minded partners to defend fairness, oppose protectionism, and safeguard the multilateral system.
Pointing to coercive trade tactics under the guise of self-interest, Wang Yi warned that such unilateral moves risk eroding trust and pushing the world toward a system ruled by the strongest. He stressed that China stands firmly on the side of international rules and history, ready to unite with partners to keep markets open and rules based.
Beyond trade, Wang Yi highlighted a new era for China–Uzbekistan ties. Elevated to an all-weather comprehensive strategic partnership, the two countries are racing to complete the China–Kyrgyzstan–Uzbekistan railway and expand cooperation in fields like artificial intelligence, digital trade, and climate change. These projects are designed to accelerate modernization and shared growth.
The meeting also set the tone for China’s neighborhood diplomacy policy—fostering amity, stability, prosperity, and inclusiveness. Looking ahead, China plans to deepen practical cooperation with Central Asian neighbors and build a closer regional community with a shared future.
For his part, Bakhtiyor Saidov underscored Uzbekistan’s commitment to the one-China principle and praised China’s leadership in global initiatives. He reaffirmed Uzbekistan’s support for WTO rules and the Shanghai Cooperation Organization, expressing confidence that the upcoming Tianjin Summit will inject fresh momentum into the SCO’s development.
As trade dynamics shift worldwide, this renewed China–Uzbekistan partnership sends a clear signal that multilateralism and regional collaboration will shape the next phase of global growth.
Reference(s):
Wang Yi: China to uphold multilateralism with like-minded countries
cgtn.com
