Interview: BRI opens new trade opportunities for Kyrgyz city, says official

BISHKEK, Dec. 4 (Xinhua) -- Proximity to China and participation in the Belt and Road Initiative are opening up new trade and investment opportunities for the southern Kyrgyz city of Osh.

"Over the past decade, our cooperation with China has strengthened significantly," said Mirlan Israilov, head of the Department of External Relations, Investments and Tourism at Osh City Hall.

"Kyrgyz and Chinese entrepreneurs are building productive and mutually beneficial partnerships," said Israilov, noting that the partnership is being advanced through concrete projects.

In September this year, the mayor of Osh met with representatives of a Chinese company, and following the talks, the two sides reached an agreement to purchase thousands of Chinese electric vehicles.

Shortly afterward, the city installed 30 Chinese-made electric charging stations. "We plan to expand this cooperation by providing retail spaces for electric vehicle sales in Osh," he said.

Commenting on the impact of bilateral cooperation on local communities, he noted that it helps improve people's livelihoods. "It provides opportunities to purchase goods, engage in re-export and develop local production," he said.

According to Israilov, Kyrgyz enterprises purchase materials and accessories from Chinese partners at competitive prices and then supply finished products to the markets of the Eurasian Economic Union.

Located some 200 km from the Chinese border, Osh enjoys a strategic position as a "natural hub for regional cooperation," he said, noting that the city maintains sister-city relations with several Chinese cities, including Xi'an and Foshan.

"Osh actively supports the BRI," he added. "We are located at the crossroads connecting Uzbekistan, Tajikistan, Kazakhstan and China, which makes our city a strategic point on the great Silk Road." ■