Tashkent, Uzbekistan (UzDaily.com) -- The business forum "Syrdarya - China" was held at the Center for Entrepreneurs and Craftsmen in the city of Gulistan, Syrdarya region. This event marks the actual start of the President’s initiative to turn Syrdarya into a "zone of advanced innovations" based on the experience of China.

The forum also served as an effective platform for developing direct contacts between business representatives of the two countries and identifying new growth points for interregional partnership.

In parallel with the work of the forum, an exhibition of industrial, leather and footwear, agricultural and handicraft products produced by joint ventures and local entrepreneurs was held.

Trade and economic cooperation between the two countries is also developing dynamically in the leather and footwear industry. As a result, new joint ventures based on Chinese capital are being opened in our country.

In particular, from 2018 to 2022, 53 investment projects worth US$243.5 million were implemented with the participation of Chinese capital. We are talking about large projects for the production of leather, shoes, soles, leather goods, sporting goods and chemicals. Most of the products are supplied to foreign markets.

In the future, on the basis of the adopted Strategy for the Development of the Leather and Footwear Industry for 2023-2025, in order to expand bilateral cooperation with China, it is planned to implement 135 projects worth US$520 million.

The export line is also growing. In 2022, industry enterprises supplied products worth US$33.6 million to China. This figure is expected to reach US$46.7 million in 2023. According to forecasts, Uzbekistan will supply goods to China in 2024 for US$60.3 million, and by the end of 2025 - for US$87.1 million.

The business forum held in Syrdarya gave a new impetus to the expansion of trade and economic ties between the two countries, opening up new prospects for increasing mutual trade and implementing new joint projects.