Russia and Uzbekistan Enhance Economic Ties to Counter China’s Growing Investments

Russian President Vladimir Putin (L) and President of Uzbekistan Shavkat Mirziyoyev, inaugurate the construction of the first nuclear power plant, during a forum of inter-regional cooperation between Russia and Uzbekistan in Tashkent on Oct. 19, 2018. Alexey Nikolsky/AFP/Getty Images

Russia and Uzbekistan inked cooperation deals valued at a total of $27 billion on Oct. 19, in part motivated by Moscow’s desire to counter the rise in Chinese investment in Uzbekistan, according to Russian media.

Uzbekistan, formerly a part of the Soviet Union, and Russia signed 785 bilateral agreements and memorandums at the conclusion of a two-day interregional forum held in the Central Asian country’s capital of Tashkent, according to an Oct. 19 article by Uzbekistan media UzDaily.

Russia Deals

Of the agreements signed, 242 of them relate to trade and economic cooperation deals worth $1.2 billion. Additionally, 136 agreements involve the implementation of joint investment projects, with a total value of $1.4 billion.