Uzbek President Shavkat Mirziyoev left Tashkent for Beijing on January 23 to start a three-day state visit to China at the invitation of Chinese leader Xi Jinping. The Uzbek presidential press service said Mirziyoev will hold "high level" talks and also attend several bilateral meetings. Last week, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Mao Ning called Mirziyoev's visit to Beijing an "opportunity to elevate bilateral relations and add new dimensions to China-Uzbekistan relations with a shared future." Mirziyoev and Xi have met several times since the Uzbek leader took over Central Asia's most populous nation of some 35 million in 2016. To read the original story by RFE/RL's Uzbek Service, click here.
Uzbek President Starts 3-Day State Visit To China
Shavkat Mirziyoev (left) and Chinese President Xi Jinping have met several times since the Uzbek leader came to power in 2016. (file photo)