On June 24, 2024, an international conference on the topic «Tajikistan-China: the state and prospects of a comprehensive strategic partnership in the new era» was held in Dushanbe.
The conference, which was held in person and remotely, was organized by the Center for strategic research under the President of the Republic of Tajikistan with the direct support of the Government of the Republic of Tajikistan.
As is known, various high-level events with the participation of Tajik and Chinese official, scientific and business circles are currently being held in Tajikistan on the eve of the state visit of the Chairman of the People’s Republic of China.
This conference is also part of the parallel events held on the eve of the state visit of the President of the People’s Republic of China.
Representatives of the Administration of the President of the Republic of Tajikistan, the Embassy of the People’s Republic of China in Tajikistan, ministries and departments, heads and specialists of scientific and analytical centers of Tajikistan and China took an active part in the event.
The agenda of the event included discussion of a wide range of issues of bilateral and comprehensive strategic partnership and prospects for further deepening of cooperation between Tajikistan and China.
The conference participants made substantive reports in accordance with the agenda of the event on the following issues:
- Tajikistan and China: results of cooperation and prospects for the development of bilateral relations.
- Current situation and prospects for multilateral cooperation between Tajikistan and China in the format of international and regional organizations.
- Trade, economic and investment cooperation between the Republic of Tajikistan and the People’s Republic of China.
- Status and prospects for the implementation of joint transport and communications projects.
- Cultural and humanitarian cooperation between Tajikistan and China.
- Cooperation between Tajikistan and China in the field of agriculture, etc.
OPENING OF THE CONFERENCE. The conference was opened by the Director of the Center for strategic research under the President of the Republic of Tajikistan, Usmonzoda Khayridin, who expressed gratitude to all conference participants for their participation.
In the opening part of the conference, the Assistant to the President of the Republic of Tajikistan on Foreign Relations, Azamsho Sharifi, and the Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of China to Tajikistan, Ji Shumin, addressed the conference participants with welcoming remarks.
During his speech, the director of the Center for strategic research noted that the strategic goals of the Republic of Tajikistan and the People’s Republic of China are maximally and fruitfully implemented in many areas — political, security, trade and economic, culture. Among them, scientific, educational and cultural exchange is the best means of strengthening the bridges of broad comprehensive strategic cooperation. Based on this, the Republic of Tajikistan puts such initiatives at the forefront of its relations with the People’s Republic of China. Since this creates a good basis for the implementation of joint and expansion of deep ties.
Usmonzoda Khayriddin emphasized that “Tajikistan is making efforts to ensure that influential Chinese companies have broad access to its markets. Such opportunities for our country are attractive to Chinese investors, as our country ranks 6th in the world in terms of electricity production from renewable sources. Our country’s opportunities, in accordance with the global commitments of countries to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 30 percent by 2050, create the necessary capacity for the production of industrial products using “green energy”. In other words, favorable opportunities are emerging for strengthening and expanding economic ties between our countries.” In this direction, we need technologies for the economical procurement of green energy. Therefore, we must improve and strengthen the electricity distribution networks so that they are manageable.
Then, the Assistant to the President of the Republic of Tajikistan on Foreign Relations, Azamsho Sharifi, delivered a welcoming speech and expressed his opinion on expanding cooperation and further strengthening relations between the two countries. He emphasized that holding such scientific and practical events with the participation of representatives of both countries is one of the tools to increase the level of interaction and the atmosphere of trust between the countries.
Azamsho Sharifi noted that «despite the complexity and unpredictability of the current international situation, the Republic of Tajikistan and the People’s Republic of China will strive to strengthen bilateral cooperation. Moreover, the upcoming visit of the Chairman of the People’s Republic of China to the Republic of Tajikistan will give a qualitatively new look to the relations between the two states.»
Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of China to Tajikistan Ji Shumin also spoke at the opening part of the conference. Ji Shumin noted that «this year marks 32 years since the establishment of diplomatic relations between China and Tajikistan. Over the past 32 years, Chinese-Tajik relations have maintained healthy and stable development, withstood the test of various international twists and turns, and demonstrated strong vitality and resilience.»
In his speech, the Ambassador of China to Tajikistan emphasized that «Tajikistan was one of the first countries to declare its support for the Belt and Road Initiative. China is Tajikistan’s largest source of investment and one of its most important trading partners. According to Chinese statistics, in 2023, the bilateral trade volume between China and Tajikistan reached 3.926 billion US dollars, an increase of 53.5% compared to the same period last year. At the same time, China is the largest aid provider to Tajikistan.»
SESSION ONE. The following speakers presented their reports at the first session of the conference entitled “Tajikistan and China: Opportunities and Priorities for a Comprehensive Strategic Partnership in the Context of the Emerging New World Order”:
Alimov Rashid — SCO Secretary General (2016-2018), Doctor of Political Sciences, Professor of the Academy of Public Administration under the President of the Republic of Tajikistan
Kosimzoda Matrobiyon — Deputy Chairman of the Committee on International Affairs, Public Associations and Information of the Majlisi Namoyandagon of the Majlisi Oli of the Republic of Tajikistan
Zhu Yongbiao — Director of the Institute of Politics and International Relations of Lanzhou University, Professor
Song Zhuangzhi — Director of the Institute of Russia, Eastern Europe and Central Asia of the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences.
The reports presented gave a positive assessment of the current state of political dialogue and strategic interaction between the Republic of Tajikistan and the People’s Republic of China in the context of the emerging new world order.
It was emphasized that Tajikistan and China have sufficient points of contact to play a leading role in regional cooperation along with the preservation and further development of active political and economic cooperation.
It was noted that direct investments of the People’s Republic of China in the economy of the Republic of Tajikistan are approaching 4 billion US dollars. At the same time, every fourth dollar was spent on road infrastructure. These opportunities contributed to the revival of the ancient branch of the Great Silk Road, the creation of an interregional multimodal transport corridor from China through Tajikistan and Uzbekistan to South Asia and Europe. Over the past ten years, the Republic of Tajikistan has managed to break the transport impasse and doubled its trade turnover with China.
Particular attention during the speech was paid to the expansion of inter-parliamentary cooperation. In this context, it was noted that inter-parliamentary cooperation is an integral part of Tajik-Chinese relations, which are based on the wise policy of the President of the Republic of Tajikistan Emomali Rahmon and the Chairman of the People’s Republic of China Xi Jinping. The parliaments of the two countries play an important role in promoting a number of issues of bilateral cooperation.
The conference participants emphasized that over the past 10 years, developing cooperation in the trade and economic, tourism, scientific and technical, cultural, military, legal spheres, as well as in the field of education, healthcare, environmental protection, the parties have signed more than 80 international agreements. In 2023 alone, more than 20 agreements, protocols, memorandums of understanding and other documents were signed between the Governments of the Republic of Tajikistan and the People’s Republic of China, ministries and departments, as well as trade enterprises of the two countries.
SECOND SESSION. The following participants presented their reports at the second session of the conference entitled “Bilateral Relations in the Socio-Economic and Humanitarian Spheres: Priorities and Development Trajectories”:
Rustam Rakhmatzod — Member of the Committee on Energy, Industry, Construction and Communications of the Majlisi Namoyandagon of the Majlisi Oli of the Republic of Tajikistan.
Jurazoda Jamshed — First Deputy Minister of Education and Science of the Republic of Tajikistan.
Saidmurodzoda Shoista — Deputy Minister of Transport of the Republic of Tajikistan.
Nuriddinzoda Akhliddin — Deputy Minister of Economic Development and Trade of the Republic of Tajikistan.
Zevarshoi Zevarsho — Deputy Minister of Agriculture of the Republic of Tajikistan.
Yan Chi Sai — General Director of the joint venture “Tajik-Chinese Mining and Industrial Company”.
Wang Ruibing — Director of the Institute of Economic Development of the Academy of International Relations of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of China.
Zhang Wanting is the Director of the Research Center for One Belt, One Road and the Eurasian Economic Union at the Institute for Silk Road Studies, Northwestern University.
Abdugani Mamadazimov is an Associate Professor at the Department of Foreign Regional Studies at the National University of Tajikistan.
Song Jing is the Director of the Confucius Institute at the Tajik National University.
Liu Huiying is a research fellow at the Research Center for One Belt, One Road at Lanzhou University.
Sue Haiyan is a research fellow at the Center for Russia and Central Asia at the Shanghai Institute of International Studies.
The speakers presented interesting and informative reports on strengthening the comprehensive strategic partnership through expanding exchanges in the fields of economy, trade, transport, agriculture, education, science, culture and tourism.
The participants noted that in 2023, the People’s Republic of China ranked second in the geographical structure of Tajikistan’s foreign trade. China’s share in Tajikistan’s total foreign trade turnover was 18 percent. During this period, mutual Tajik-Chinese trade turnover reached 1,503.2 million dollars, which, compared to 2022, increased by 293.2 million dollars, or 24.2 percent. In order to expand trade, economic, investment and industrial cooperation, the parties decided to develop specific investment projects, including projects in the field of “green” energy, modernization of the Tajik Aluminum Company, construction of a logistics center in the Dangaria district, four overpasses in Dushanbe and modernization of the Varshez-Kulma highway.
The parties also discussed in detail issues of further improving cooperation in the field of agriculture. In this context, it was noted that the agricultural sector of Tajikistan, being one of the strategic directions of the country’s national development, shows 7-8 percent annual growth. Every year, there is an increase in the share of agriculture in the country’s GDP. There is also an increasing trend of direct investment in the agro-industrial sector with an emphasis on new technologies, where the role of investments from our Chinese partners is emphasized. A striking example of fruitful cooperation is the implementation of projects with the participation of Chinese companies such as: Zhongtai, Xinyang Inhai, Tajik — Hai-Li, Korvoni Asr, Asri 21, Shanghai — Xinyang and others, which make a significant contribution to the development of agriculture in the country.
Having confirmed mutual respect, good neighborliness and a solid foundation of friendship between the countries, the participants also noted the existence of significant untapped potential for further expansion of interaction.
In general, the international conference allowed for an exchange of views and ideas on the issues raised, contributing to a deeper understanding of all aspects of bilateral and multilateral cooperation between Tajikistan and China.
The participants also made a number of specific, practical proposals for deepening ties between Tajikistan and China in the political, diplomatic, trade, economic, investment and cultural and humanitarian spheres, and developed new non-standard approaches to strengthening bilateral cooperation.
When summing up the results, the participants highly appreciated the level of the international conference and thanked the leadership of the Center for Strategic Studies for creating a friendly and comfortable atmosphere during the event.
Press service of the SCR under the
President of the Republic of Tajikistan
