Tashkent, Uzbekistan (UzDaily.com) —  The construction of the "China – Kyrgyzstan – Uzbekistan" railway will begin on 27 December 2024. This announcement was made by the President of Kyrgyzstan, Sadyr Japarov, during his speech at the People’s Kurultai.

“The construction project of the ‘China – Kyrgyzstan – Uzbekistan’ railway, which had long existed only in plans, is finally starting to become a reality. When we first began implementing it, many doubted its success, even mocking it, calling it a fairy tale. Today, everyone has seen that this is not a fairy tale, but a reality,” emphasized the President of Kyrgyzstan.

He also stated that official construction works will commence on December 27.

According to him, this railway will become a strategic bridge between the East and the West, opening new prospects for trade, tourism, and industrial development.

An agreement on cooperation for the implementation of the project was signed on June 6, 2024, between the governments of China, Kyrgyzstan, and Uzbekistan.

According to the project, the railway route will pass through mountainous terrain, connecting Kashgar, Torugart, Makmal, Jalal-Abad, and Andijan. The total length of the line will be 486 kilometers.

It is expected that the construction of the railway line will bring significant changes to the region’s logistics. By 2050, the annual cargo volume on this railway is projected to reach 13.5 million tons. This will reduce delivery times by seven days, bringing economic benefits of $150–200 million annually to Uzbekistan through cargo transit.

The project aims not only to strengthen export-import relations for Uzbekistan and other countries in the region but also to create new transit routes. The railway will provide Central Asia with access to the Pacific Ocean via China, while giving China access to the countries of the Persian Gulf.

The development and construction of the main line will be handled by the Chinese company China Railway International.

A joint company, “China-Kyrgyzstan-Uzbekistan Railway Company,” has been established for the implementation of the project and is registered in Kyrgyzstan. The Chinese side owns 51% of the company’s shares, while Kyrgyzstan and Uzbekistan each hold 24.5%.