(MENAFN- Trend News Agency) TASHKENT, Uzbekistan, December 27. The launch of the China-Kyrgyzstan-Uzbekistan railway is set to be a game changer for regional trade and investment, cutting transport costs to the bone and opening the floodgates to the untapped transit potential of Central Asia, as the estimates suggest, Trend reports via the Uzbek President's office.

In a message to participants at the ceremony marking the start of the construction of the railway, Uzbekistan's President Shavkat Mirziyoyev emphasized that the project would involve extensive cooperation based on advanced engineering, innovation, and digital solutions while adhering to high environmental standards.

"This large-scale infrastructure project will foster extensive cooperation, leveraging advanced engineering, innovative technologies, and digital solutions, all while upholding stringent environmental standards. Along the Kashgar-Torugart-Makmal-Jalal-Abad-Andijan route, the construction will include 20 stations, 42 bridges, and 25 tunnels. The statement also announced the development of state-of-the-art transit and logistics infrastructure, including warehouses and terminals, to support the project.

It is anticipated that annual freight volumes along the corridor will reach up to 15 million tons. The railway will reduce travel distances and delivery times from China to European countries by thousands of kilometers and nearly a week. Regular passenger services will also be possible.

“In the long term, the connection between this railway line and the Trans-Afghan Corridor will effectively enhance the transport and communication links between China, Central Asia, and South Asia. All participating countries will experience the economic benefits, as the project will create hundreds of new enterprises and tens of thousands of jobs. Furthermore, this project will play a key role in revitalizing the Great Silk Road, fostering cultural and humanitarian exchanges and further strengthening the bonds between our nations,” President Mirziyoyev noted.

Note that an agreement between China, Kyrgyzstan, and Uzbekistan was signed on June 6 of this year to support the implementation of the railway project and resolve financing issues, and a joint project company, China-Kyrgyzstan-Uzbekistan Railway Company LLC, was registered on July 26.

The China-Kyrgyzstan-Uzbekistan railroad will connect the following points: Kashgar-Torugart-Makmal-Jalal-Abad-Andijan.

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