Tashkent Initiative Adopted at China–Central Asia Forum

Tashkent, Uzbekistan (UzDaily.com) — The Human Rights Development Forum “China–Central Asia” was held in Tashkent on May 14, bringing together participants from China, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, and Uzbekistan.

The forum was jointly organized by the China Foundation for Human Rights Development and the National Center of the Republic of Uzbekistan for Human Rights. The theme of the event was “Jointly promoting progress in human rights through high-quality development.”

Around 100 representatives from government bodies, expert and academic communities, business circles, and media outlets participated in the forum.

At the opening session, speakers emphasized that creating conditions for the full realization of human rights is a shared responsibility of the international community. It was noted that China and Central Asian countries, as developing states, share similar approaches to sustainable development, improving living standards, and advancing human rights.

Welcoming addresses were delivered by Li Hongkui, Vice President and Secretary-General of the China Foundation for Human Rights Development; Akmal Saidov, Director of the National Center for Human Rights of the Republic of Uzbekistan; Yu Jun, Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the People’s Republic of China to Uzbekistan; Javelon Vakhabov, Director of the International Institute of Central Asia; Samadi Shokhin, Deputy Secretary-General of the Secretariat of the “Central Asia–China” format; and Alua Nadirkulova, Ambassador-at-Large of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Kazakhstan.

Speakers highlighted the importance of holding the fourth China–Central Asia Forum in the context of the upcoming 40th anniversary of the United Nations Declaration on the Right to Development and the fifth anniversary of the Global Development Initiative. They also noted the growing cooperation within the China–Central Asia format.

During the plenary session, participants discussed priority areas of cooperation in the field of human rights. Reports were presented by representatives of specialized academic and human rights institutions from the six countries.

Among the participants were Sherzod Abdullayev, Rector of the Academy of Justice of the Republic of Uzbekistan; Liu Huawen, Director of the Institute of International Law at the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences; Viktor Tikhonov, Head of the Civil and Political Rights Department of the National Center for Human Rights of Kazakhstan; representatives of the Human Rights Ombudsman Institute of Kyrgyzstan; the Academy of Sciences of Uzbekistan; research centers in China; the Executive Office of the President of Tajikistan; and the Institute of State, Law and Democracy of Turkmenistan.

The forum continued with three panel sessions focused on poverty reduction, improving living standards, environmental protection, green development, digital technologies, and their role in ensuring human rights and the right to development.

Participants exchanged practical experience and modern approaches in digital governance, sustainable development, and social policy, emphasizing their importance for improving mechanisms for human rights protection.

At the conclusion of the forum, participants adopted a final document, the “Tashkent Initiative,” which defines key directions for further regional cooperation in development and human rights protection.

A Memorandum of Understanding was also signed between the National Center for Human Rights of the Republic of Uzbekistan and the China Foundation for Human Rights Development, signed by Akmal Saidov and Li Hongkui.