Chinese Premier Li Keqiang (R) meets with Uzbek Prime Minister Abdulla Aripov in Dushanbe, Tajikistan, on Oct. 12, 2018. (Xinhua/Ding Haitao)
DUSHANBE, Oct. 12 (Xinhua) -- Chinese Premier Li Keqiang suggested here Friday that China and Uzbekistan work together to translate their high-level political relations into more fruitful cooperation results.
Li's remarks came as he met with Uzbek Prime Minister Abdulla Aripov on the sidelines of the 17th meeting of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization Council of Heads of Government in Tajik capital Dushanbe.
Hailing the long-term friendship, increasing practical cooperation and deepening political mutual trust between China and Uzbekistan, Li noted that the two countries have carried out a series of major cooperation projects covering such areas as economy and trade, energy and connectivity.
He called on both sides to continue their concerted efforts and turn their high-level political ties into more concrete results in bilateral cooperation.
China, said Li, stands ready to conduct cooperation with Uzbekistan on industrial capacity that is highly efficient and environment-friendly, share its experience of development, encourage more competent Chinese enterprises to participate in Uzbekistan's industrialization process, and push for new progress in energy cooperation.
China would like to tap the potential in agricultural cooperation and import high-quality agricultural produce from Uzbekistan, said the premier, calling for joint efforts to prepare for the inter-governmental mechanism meeting slated for next year.
He also called for closer win-win cooperation in such areas as trade, people-to-people exchanges and local-level cooperation.
Aripov said Uzbekistan is satisfied with the high level of its ties with China.
Uzbekistan, he added, supports the Belt and Road Initiative, and hopes to speed up the construction of China-Kyrgyzstan-Uzbekistan railway.
He also called for efforts to promote bilateral cooperation in trade, investment, agriculture, education and tourism, and to expand it into new areas.
