Tajikistan highly appraises the results of a 30-year development of its relations with China to the level of comprehensive strategic partnership, Tajik President said yesterday in his speech at a virtual China-Central Asia summit, according to the Tajik president’s official website.
He reportedly noted creation of a favorable legal foundation, establishment of a permanent political dialogue in a spirit of trust, high rates of trade, economic and investment cooperation, including implementation of large-scale infrastructure development projects.
Emomali Rahmon reportedly emphasized that Tajikistan is interested in continuing a constructive political dialogue between with China at the highest level and further developing strategic partnership at both the bilateral and the multilateral level.
In this regard, Rahmon outlined sectors like industry, green energy, transportation, agriculture and digital economics as areas, which could drive the bilateral trade between the two countries.
Speaking at the summit, Tajik leader reportedly called on the summit participants to expand cooperation in these areas within the framework of the “Central Asia-China” mechanism and take additional measures to increase trade turnover as well as create a favorable environment for active investment.
An active cooperation between the parties in the field of climate change and its impact on the region’s economy was reportedly recognized as important.
The importance of concerted cooperation in the field of healthcare, especially in view of pandemic was emphasized, according to the Tajik president’s official website.
It is to be noted that Tajikistan and China have friendly relations characterized by bilateral and multilateral collaboration. The two countries established formal relations on January 4, 1992, shortly after the dissolution of the Soviet Union.
China is now among the four largest trade partners of Tajikistan. Over the first eleven months of this year, the total trade turnover between Tajikistan and China has reached 709 million U.S. dollars. A number of large Chinese enterprises in various industries operate in Tajikistan.
Tajikistan and China are active members of the regional and international organizations and closely cooperate within the framework of these organizations, particularly the Shanghai Cooperation Organization. Through the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO), China swayed Tajikistan to combat the ‘three evils’ that are terrorism, separatism, and religious extremism.
The legal foundation of the bilateral cooperation between the two countries includes more than 200 interstate and intergovernmental agreements.
The governments of China and Tajikistan collaborate on security and military training; this collaboration has become stronger since the 2001 United States invasion of Afghanistan. The two countries' militaries have conducted joint military exercises since 2006.
