Chinese Bank Syndicate to Provide US$2.3 Billion for China–Kyrgyzstan–Uzbekistan Railway Construction

Tashkent, Uzbekistan (UzDaily.com) — The joint project company LLC “China–Kyrgyzstan–Uzbekistan Railway Company” has signed an agreement with a syndicate of Chinese banks, including the China Development Bank and the Export-Import Bank of China, to provide a loan of US$2.3 billion for the construction of an international railway line. The total cost of the project is estimated at US$4.7 billion.

The signing ceremony was attended by the Deputy Chairman of the Cabinet of Ministers of Kyrgyzstan, Bakyt Torobaev.

Under the terms of the agreement, the loan has a 35-year repayment period, with responsibility for repayment resting with the joint project company established by the three participating countries.

The financing structure envisages an equal distribution of funds: 50% will come from loans provided by Chinese banks, and 50% from the contributions of the states to the company’s charter capital (China — 51%, Kyrgyzstan — 24.5%, Uzbekistan — 24.5%).

The CEO of the project company, Zhou Xin, assured that the funds would be used efficiently and obligations fulfilled on schedule.

The railway project is characterized by significant engineering complexity: the section across Kyrgyzstan will span 304 km, with approximately 40% of the route passing through artificial structures.

Construction plans include the building of 50 bridges and 29 tunnels with a total length of 120 km.

The official groundbreaking took place on 27 December 2024, by the leaders of the three countries. The railway will become a key link in the transport corridor connecting China with Europe and the Middle East.