BISHKEK, Kyrgyzstan, December 16. Kyrgyzstan
and China sign loan agreement for construction of major
China-Kyrgyzstan-Uzbekistan railway project, Trend reports via the Kyrgyz
Cabinet of Ministers.


The agreement was concluded between the
"China-Kyrgyzstan-Uzbekistan Railway Company" LLC (Joint Project
Company) and a Syndicate of Banks from the People's Republic of
China, which includes the China Development Bank and the
Export-Import Bank of China.


The total cost of the railway project is estimated at $4.7
billion. Half of this amount, approximately $2.3 billion, will be
provided by China as a loan for 35 years to the Joint Project
Company, established by the three countries. Repayment of this loan
will be carried out directly by the Joint Project Company. The
remaining $2.3 billion will be contributed by the three countries
to the equity capital of the Joint Project Company in the following
share: China – 51%, Kyrgyzstan and Uzbekistan – 24.5% each.


Speaking at the signing ceremony, Deputy Prime Minister of
Kyrgyzstan Bakyt Torobaev emphasized that, according to one of the
key provisions of the investment agreement between the Government
of Kyrgyzstan and the Joint Project Company, the full financial
closure of the project was to be completed by December 20, 2025, a
target that has already been successfully achieved.


"This achievement deserves high recognition and clearly
demonstrates the readiness of the Joint Project Company,
established by the three countries, to implement
international-level projects," said Bakyt Torobaev.







In turn, Zhou Xin, General Director of the
"China-Kyrgyzstan-Uzbekistan Railway Company," LLC noted that the
Joint Project Company will focus not only on the efficient use of
the attracted funds but also on ensuring the reliable and timely
fulfillment of all obligations under the agreement.


The construction of the "China-Kyrgyzstan-Uzbekistan" railway is
one of the most technically and engineering-complex projects in the
region. The project involves the construction of 50 bridges and 29
tunnels, with a total length of 120 kilometers. This means that
about 40% of the entire route will pass through tunnels and
bridges. In Kyrgyzstan, the total length of the railway will be 304
km.


The official launch of the "China-Kyrgyzstan-Uzbekistan" railway
project took place on December 27, 2024, when the Presidents of the
three countries – President Sadyr Japarov of Kyrgyzstan, President
Xi Jinping of China, and President Shavkat Mirziyoyev of Uzbekistan
– delivered speeches emphasizing the strategic importance of the
project.