The 523-kilometer line – which will connect China’s Kashgar with several cities in Kyrgyzstan and Uzbekistan – had been in limbo for decades, but the project is now officially underway and the first phase could be completed by the end of the decade.
China is finally moving forward with plans to build a new railway to Kyrgyzstan and Uzbekistan, with analysts saying the project will play an important role in deepening Chinese ties across Central Asia and beyond.
In late November, China Railway posted a business tender on its procurement website, stating that the Kyrgyzstan section would have a planned investment of 33.9 billion yuan (US$4.7 billion) and construction was expected to be finished by 2030.
Gazeta.uz says Kyrgyzstan President Sadyr Japarov announced during the third National kurultai (Congress) on December 20 that the official construction of the China-Kyrgyzstan-Uzbekistan railway will begin on December 27.
According to Japarov, the project had been “shelved for decades”. “When we initiated this project, many doubted its feasibility, considering it a fanciful idea. However, today, you are all witnesses to its realization. This railway will serve as a strategic bridge connecting East and West,” Japarov stated.
Dubbed the “project of the century,” the railway is expected to unlock new opportunities for trade, tourism and industry, he added.
At the ceremony, an investment agreement for the design, construction, financing, operation and maintenance of the railway was signed by Kyrgyzstan’s Minister of Transport and Communications Absattar Syrgabayev and chairperson of China’s Joint Railway Company Zhong Shenggui. The agreement signing ceremony reportedly was also attended by Uzbekistan’s Ambassador to Kyrgyzstan Saidikram Niyazkhodzhayev.
Director-General of Kyrgyzstan’s state railway company Kyrgyz Temir Jolu Azamat Sakiyev stated in June that the China-Kyrgyzstan-Uzbekistan railway was expected to take approximately six years to complete.
Project overview
The railway project, which aims to connect China with Central Asia, was under discussion for nearly 25 years. Several route options were considered, including a line from China through Kyrgyzstan to Uzbekistan, Turkmenistan, Iran and Turkey. Key delays stemmed from disagreements over the track gauge, construction costs and challenging mountainous terrain along the proposed route. The selected route Kashgar — Torugart — Makmal — Jalal-Abad — Andijan is expected to reduce dependence on Russia and Kazakhstan for regional transport.
According to Uzbekistan’s Ministry of Transport, the project will enhance trade and transportation routes from China through Uzbekistan to Turkiye, Europe and the Persian Gulf countries.
The project is estimated to cost US$4.7 billion, with funding split between participating countries based on their shares in the joint venture. China will contribute US$1.18 billion, Kyrgyzstan US$700 million and Uzbekistan $573 million.
Additionally, China will provide a non-commercial loan of US$2.35 billion, with ongoing negotiations involving the Export-Import Bank of China and the National Bank of China.
