A delegation from Shandong led by Lin Wu, the provincial Party secretary, visited Uzbekistan from Sept 4 to 7.

The trip aimed to explore development opportunities brought by the Belt and Road Initiative, deepen cooperation and exchanges with local companies and governments, and write a new chapter in the history of cooperation between Shandong and Uzbekistan.

A delegation from Shandong visits Uzbekistan from Sept 4-7 to carry out a range of foreign affairs activities. [Photo/Dazhong News]

In Tashkent, the capital of Uzbekistan, and Samarkand, its second-largest city, the delegation made extensive contacts with State dignitaries and people from all walks of life.

It also carried out economic, trade and cultural exchanges, signed a number of cooperation mechanisms and projects, and notched a series of important cooperation deals.

Uzbekistan is a key hub on the ancient Silk Road and an active supporter and promoter of the Belt and Road Initiative.

In recent years, Shandong and Uzbekistan have made progress in bilateral exchanges and cooperation in such fields as the economy, trade, investment and culture.

An event marking cooperation and exchanges between Shandong and Uzbekistan is held in Tashkent on Sept 5. The event also commemorates the 10th anniversary of the Belt and Road Initiative. [Photo/Dazhong News]

Lin said that Shandong is willing to work with relevant parties in Uzbekistan to deepen cooperation, expand high-level exchanges, jointly promote the implementation of key cooperation projects in heavy truck and agricultural machinery manufacturing, and increase people-to-people exchanges.

The visit by the Shandong delegation will accelerate the implementation of an important consensus reached by the leaders of the two countries; further expand their cooperation in agriculture, commercial vehicles, infrastructure, trade, energy, and digital and cultural tourism; attract more Shandong enterprises to invest and operate in Uzbekistan; and promote mutual benefits and win-win results, according to a senior official from Uzbekistan.

A promotional exhibition dubbed "Friendly Shandong, Good Shandong Products" and a meeting on cooperation and exchanges between enterprises in Shandong and Samarkand are held on Sept 6 in Samarkand. During the event, the Nishan Library of the Chinese Culture Corner of the National Library of Uzbekistan was inaugurated, and 15 mechanisms and projects were signed with an investment of $450 million. [Photo/Dazhong News]