As part of his state visit to China, the President of Tajikistan Emomali Rahmon on may 11 held a meeting in Beijing with the President of the Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank (AIIB) Jin Liqun. Following the negotiations, the parties signed a Long-Term Investment Plan, for the implementation of which the bank plans to allocate more than $800 million.
According to the Tajik president’s official website, the meeting discussed current cooperation and prospects for expanding the partnership between Tajikistan and the AIIB.
Rahmon highly appreciated the bank’s contribution to the implementation of infrastructure projects in the country and thanked its leadership for supporting the sustainable development of Tajikistan.
Particular attention was paid to cooperation in energy, transport and road construction, water supply, digital and green technologies, as well as in agriculture.
According to the Tajik side, a number of major infrastructure projects are currently being implemented in the republic with the participation of the AIIB. The total amount of financing for these projects by the bank is $400 million.
On the same day, the President of Tajikistan Emomali Rahmon met with leaders and representatives of Chinese companies. During the meeting, he presented the investment opportunities of the country and urged Chinese businesses to actively participate in the implementation of projects in Tajikistan.
Following the meeting and negotiations between Tajik and Chinese companies, more than 50 documents on cooperation were signed. They are aimed at attracting investments to Tajikistan totaling more than $8 billion. Some of the agreements were agreed upon within the framework of the “Tajik-China Digital Business Connect” forum.
In his address to the business circles of the two countries, Emomali Rahmon noted the favorable economic climate in the country, measures to protect investors’ rights, and the prospects for developing trade and investment cooperation between the business communities of Tajikistan and China. He called China a reliable and key partner of Tajikistan.
Rahmon also reported that more than 300 state investment projects are currently being implemented in Tajikistan with a total value of about $13 billion. In many of them, Chinese companies act as contractors. Additionally, more than 700 companies with Chinese capital operate in the country.
The president specifically focused on economic and structural reforms aimed at attracting investments. In particular, he recalled that last year Tajikistan adopted a new version of the law “On Investments and Promotion of Investment Activities.” According to him, the document provides for modern mechanisms to support investors, additional legal guarantees for capital protection, simplification of administrative procedures, and the development of partnerships between the state and the private sector.
Among the advantages of Tajikistan, Rahmon mentioned the advantageous geographical location, the implementation of transport and energy projects, as well as the formation of new corridors that could link China and the countries of South Asia with the Middle East.
The head of state also emphasized that Tajikistan has significant hydropower potential and ranks eighth in the world in this indicator. In addition, the country has explored reserves of natural resources, including gold, silver, copper, lithium, antimony, zinc, and tungsten.
Opportunities for cooperation in industry, mining and processing of minerals, metallurgy, chemical and pharmaceutical industries, light industry, agro-industrial complex, logistics, digitalization, artificial intelligence, green economy, and tourism were presented to Chinese companies.
Rahmon also noted the necessity of creating logistics centers and enterprises for processing agricultural products for subsequent export. Opportunities in the five free economic zones of Tajikistan were separately presented.
After the president’s speech, the meeting was addressed by the Minister of Commerce of the PRC Wang Wentao, the Chairman of the China Council for the Promotion of International Trade Ren Hongbin, as well as representatives of major Chinese companies.
The President of Tajikistan is on a four-day state visit to China starting from May 11.
