DUSHANBE, March 6, Asia-Plus – State and prospects of further expansion of cooperation between Tajikistan and China were discussed in Dushanbe yesterday at a meeting of President Emomali Rahmonov with visiting Vice President of China’s Export-Import Bank (Eximbank) Li Jun, according to presidential press service.
Abdufattoh Sharipov, a spokesman for the Tajik president, said that President Rahmonov had noted that expansion of friendly relations with China is one of priorities and main directions of Tajikistan’s foreign policy.
According to him, the two expressed satisfaction with a good progress of implementation of projects aimed at the construction of the highway from Dushanbe via Khujand to Uzbek Border, a 500-kV 350-kilometer electricity transmission line South-North linking Tajikistan”s southern and northern regions and a 220-kV 90-kilometer line Lolazor-Khatlon, which are being funded by Eximbank.
Rahmonov and Li vowed to continue cooperation in implementing new intergovernmental and inter-agency projects as well as projects launched by entrepreneurs of the two countries.
“One of such projects is the construction of the 150-megawatt hydropower plant on the Zarafshon River in the Sughd province,” said the spokesman, “The estimated budget for the construction of this plant, which is projected to generate 537 million kWh per year, is $260 million.”
The project, which also includes the construction of a 220-kV 60-kilometer electricity transmission line, will be implemented by China’s Sinohydro in cooperation with Tajik specialists.
The two expressed readiness to speed up work on the construction of the Zarafshon station, according to the spokesman.
Established in 1994 and solely owned by the central government, The Export-Import Bank of China (China Eximbank) is a state policy bank under the direct leadership of the State Council. Its international credit ratings are compatible to the national sovereign ratings. At present, the Bank has seven business branches, six domestic representative offices and two overseas representative offices – one for Southern & Eastern Africa and the other is Paris Rep. Office. It has established and maintained correspondent relationship with 140 foreign banks worldwide.
