Uzbekistan intends to develop "strategic partnership under any circumstances" with China. However, trade statistics for the year 2023 indicate that the evolving relations between Tashkent and Beijing are uneven, Eurasianet.org reports.
In late January, Uzbekistan's President Shavkat Mirziyoyev visited China and met with Chinese President Xi Jinping.
During Mirziyoyev's visit, both countries signed a series of agreements that would "enrich the content" of their strategic partnership, as stated in the announcement. The bilateral documents signed in Beijing outlined cooperation in various areas, ranging from environmental protection and poverty reduction to sanitary standards for exporting Uzbek chickpeas to China.
"Figures show that the foundation of any strategic partnership lies more in rhetoric than substance," notes the article.
Data for 2023 reveals that Uzbekistan had a significant trade deficit with China, exacerbating its dependence on Chinese goods for prolonged use. According to China's customs authority, the trade turnover between China and Uzbekistan last year amounted to $14 billion, with Uzbek exports contributing only $1.6 billion to the overall volume.
Uzbekistan's statistical agency reported that the trade volume between Uzbekistan and China reached $13.7 billion, with the export volume to China being only $2.5 billion.
Additionally, Uzbekistan's appetite for Chinese automobiles is growing. The trade imbalance also extends to consumer electronics, including mobile phones, as stated in the article.
According to Uzbekistan's Statistical Agency, in 2023, 3.1 million mobile phones were imported from China, significantly exceeding imports from other sources.
Vietnam secured the second position in supplying mobile phones to Uzbekistan - 276.8 thousand units. India imported 37,200 units and took the third position. The overall result indicates that the import of mobile phones increased by 13.7% compared to 2022.
Furthermore, according to Uzbekistan's Ministry of Investments, Industry, and Trade, China has established itself as Uzbekistan's main creditor.
According to the ministry, in 2023, Uzbekistan received a total of $2.8 billion in international loans, the majority of which were provided by the Asian Development Bank ($616 million), the World Bank ($552 million), and China ($399 million). The Uzbek government allocated $872 million in credits to the country's energy sector. Meanwhile, the transport sector received $473 million in international assistance, and agriculture and water management received $300 million.
CentralasianLIGHT.org
February 13, 2024