Gulistan to Launch “Uzbekistan–Shanghai” Trade and Industrial Zone

Tashkent, Uzbekistan (UzDaily.com) — A new trade and industrial zone, “Uzbekistan–Shanghai,” is planned in Gulistan, President Shavkat Mirziyoyev announced during an extraordinary session of the Syrdarya Regional Council. The president emphasized a strong focus on innovation and modern technologies in the region’s economy.

In recent years, 31 major projects have been launched in Syrdarya with Chinese investment, totaling around ГЫ$500 million and creating 5,000 jobs. An additional 40 projects, worth $700 million, are planned. The Syrdarya free economic zone now covers 1,080 hectares, with future plots designated exclusively for high value-added projects. President Mirziyoyev set a goal of implementing projects worth ГЫ$4 billion within the zone.

To attract investment, a delegation from the region and nine local administrations will visit China to showcase regional potential and establish partnerships with Chinese provinces and cities according to sector specialization: construction materials with Jiangsu, Shandong, and Guangdong; chemical industry with Tianjin; electrical engineering with Fujian and Hong Kong; light industry with Shandong and Xinjiang; pharmaceuticals with Shanghai and Jiangxi.

The Gulistan “Uzbekistan–Shanghai Partnership Zone” will draw on the experience of China’s pilot Qingdao “China–Shanghai” zone. Facilities will be provided to entrepreneurs on a turnkey basis via industrial mortgages or leasing, expected to generate at least 5,000 jobs. President Mirziyoyev also instructed measures to attract investors from Hong Kong and strengthen interregional cooperation to expand international collaboration.