Mr. Zavqi Zavqizoda, Minister of Economic Development and Trade of Tajikistan, and Mr. Ling Ji, Vice Minister of Commerce also Deputy China International Trade Representative, co-chaired the 13th meeting of the Tajikistan-China Commission for Trade and Economic Cooperation that took place in Beijing, China on May 8, 2024.
The press center of the Ministry of Economic Development and Trade of Tajikistan (MoEDT) says the parties, in particular, noted that strategic partnership between the two countries has reached a qualitatively new level.
“China is the second largest trading partner of Tajikistan and is one the main investors in Tajikistan’s economy. In 2023, a two-way trade between Tajikistan and China valued at 1.5 billion US dollars, which is 24.2 percent more than in 2022,” the MoEDT press center noted.
The parties reportedly agreed to take necessary measures to prepare well for the upcoming official visit of Chinese President Xi Jinping to Tajikistan.
They, in particular, plan to complete construction of new governments of the Government and the Parliament of Tajikistan and negotiate agreements on cooperation in the fields of investment, electronic trade, mining and new energy as soon as possible, according to the MoEDT press center.
New energy may refer to alternative energy, any energy source other than fossil fuels, which include: 1) renewable energy, energy from resources which are naturally replenished on a human timescale, such as sunlight, wind, surface water, tides, wind waves and geothermal heat; 2) nuclear power, the atomic energy harvested from the decay, fission or fusion of elemental atoms; and 3) perpetual motion or "free energy", an elusive energy source which would violate the laws of thermodynamics.
For the purpose of expanding trade and economic cooperation, the parties reportedly agreed to implement priority investment projects, including those aimed at developing green energy in Tajikistan, modernizing Tajik Aluminum Company (TALCO), constructing logistics center in Danghara, constructing three flyovers and one bridge in Dushanbe and rehabilitating the Varshez-Kulma section of the Dushanbe-Kulob-Khorog-Kulma highway.
After the meeting, the parties signed the minutes of the meeting.
On the same day, the bilateral meeting of Mr. Zavqi Zavqizoda with Mr. Ling Ji took place. During the meeting, the Tajik minister reportedly appreciated China’s financial support for priority projects being implemented in Tajikistan and emphasized an important role of China in in development of Tajikistan’s economy.
