China, Uzbekistan issue joint statement on advancing cooperation

SAMARKAND, Uzbekistan, Sept. 15 (Xinhua) -- China and Uzbekistan on Thursday issued a joint statement on promoting their comprehensive strategic partnership and advancing all-round cooperation.

The two sides said that since China and Uzbekistan established diplomatic relations 30 years ago, the people of the two countries have marched forward hand in hand as brothers, writing a glorious chapter in the history of bilateral friendship for generations.

The two sides agreed that since China and Uzbekistan established the strategic partnership 10 years ago, the two countries have maintained candid, open and constructive high-level communication, and have built efficient collaboration mechanisms in such areas as politics, diplomacy, economy and trade, as well as people-to-people exchanges.

Uzbekistan said it firmly adheres to the one-China policy, and reiterated that the government of the People's Republic of China is the sole legal government representing the whole of China, and that Taiwan is an inalienable part of China's territory.

The two sides agreed to actively push forward the synergy between the Belt and Road Initiative and the development strategy of "New Uzbekistan" for 2022-2026.

Uzbekistan said it supports the Global Development Initiative (GDI) put forward by China and believes that the initiative will actively contribute to the realization of the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals as planned.

Both sides are willing to actively build greater synergy between the GDI and programs on improving the environmental and socio-economic situation in the Aral Sea region within the framework of the UN Multi-Partner Human Security Trust Fund for the Aral Sea Region.

Uzbekistan said it supports the China-proposed Global Security Initiative (GSI), and is willing to carry out exchanges and cooperation with the Chinese side within the GSI mechanism, so as to jointly promote regional and global peace and security.

Both sides reaffirmed that a peaceful, stable, developing and prosperous Afghanistan serves the common interests of Afghanistan and other regional countries.

Underlining their respect for the independence, sovereignty, territory integrity and ethnic unity of Afghanistan, the two sides stressed non-interference of the country's domestic affairs and noted that they will uphold the "Afghan-led, Afghan-owned" principle.

The two countries said they are ready to work with the international community to continue to provide humanitarian and development aid for Afghanistan, strengthen pragmatic cooperation on Afghanistan-related issues and help the country integrate into regional economic cooperation.

Both sides agreed to enhance coordination on Afghanistan-related issues within the Shanghai Cooperation Organization, the coordination and cooperation mechanism among neighbors of Afghanistan and other frameworks, with the aim of advancing peace and reconstruction of Afghanistan.