China, Uzbekistan to strengthen cooperation under the Silk Road initiative

Meng Jianzhu (2nd R), a member of the Political Bureau of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China (CPC) and head of the Commission for Political and Legal Affairs of the CPC Central Committee, attends a signing ceremony with First Deputy Prime Minister of Uzbekistan Rustam Azimov (2nd L) after the third meeting of China-Uzbekistan intergovernmental committee of cooperation in Rizhao, east China's Shandong Province, June 15, 2015. (Xinhua/Fan Changguo)

BEIJING, June 15 (Xinhua) -- Top Chinese security official Meng Jianzhu and First Deputy Prime Minister of Uzbekistan Rustam Azimov agreed to expand trade and economic cooperation under the framework of the "Belt initiatives" on Monday.

During the third meeting of the China-Uzbekistan intergovernmental committee of cooperation held in China's northern city of Rizhao, Shandong Province, the two senior officials agreed to deepen all-round cooperation and strengthen ties as China's Silk Road Economic Belt initiative rolls out.

"Co-building the Silk Road Economic Belt will present a major opportunity for developing China-Uzbekistan relations," Meng Jianzhu, head of the Commission for Political and Legal Affairs of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee, said at the opening ceremony of China-Uzbekistan trade and economic forum prior to the meeting.

Meng said China and Uzbekistan should implement the various consensus reached by the leaders of the two countries and push bilateral cooperation to a higher level and a greater scope.

Efforts should be made on further deepening political mutual trust and connecting each other's development strategies, further optimizing trade structure and expanding cooperation scale, further improving investment environment and ensuring smooth trade, further coordinating infrastructure building and boosting connectivity, Meng said.

China is an intimate friend and trustworthy partner of Uzbekistan, Azimov said, adding that Uzbekistan will actively participate in various projects under the framework of the "Belt initiatives" and expand and deepen all-round cooperation.

Meng and Azimov signed a memorandum after their two-hour meeting and witnessed the signing of a pact to boost economic cooperation between the two countries' commerce ministries, under the framework of Silk Road Economic Belt initiative.

China-Uzbekistan intergovernmental cooperation committee, established five years ago, played a central role as a mechanism in planning, guiding and coordinating the two countries' all-round cooperation.

As the chairman of the respective side of the committee, Meng and Azimov hoped the intergovernmental cooperation committee would continue to play its critical role and contribute to cementing the two countries' bilateral strategic partnership.