A ceremony was held in Beijing to sign an intergovernmental agreement on the project for the construction of the China-Kyrgyzstan-Uzbekistan railway. The heads of state took part in the event via video link, emphasizing the strategic importance of the new highway for strengthening China’s transport links with Central Asia, the Persian Gulf and Europe.
The planned railway will run along the route Kashgar – Torugart – Makmal – Jalal-Abad – Andijan, with a total length of about 486 kilometers, of which 174 kilometers will pass through Chinese territory. The project includes the construction of 18 stations, 81 bridges with a total length of 26 kilometers and 41 tunnels. To implement the project, a joint venture will be created in which 51% will belong to the Chinese side, and the remaining shares of 24.5% will belong to Kyrgyzstan and Uzbekistan.
According to plans, by 2030 the volume of freight traffic along the line will reach eight million tons, by 2040 – ten million tons, and by 2050 it will grow to 13.5 million tons.