In April 2026, the excavation machine of the China Kyrgyzstan Uzbekistan railway main line project was slowly advancing in the rock layers inside the Koshtbeg Tunnel at an altitude of 3000 meters in Naryn Oblast, Kyrgyzstan. Several hundred kilometers away in the Bishkek Free Economic Zone, the 48th key project of the China Kyrgyzstan Science and Technology Park has just been signed. When this Central Asian mountainous country incorporates China's experience into its modernization equation, the transformation from highways to railways, from agriculture to energy has been fully implemented at the foot of the snow capped mountains.

Simultaneous Construction of Three Tunnels on the China Kyrgyzstan Uzbekistan Railway

The three tunnels of Ferghana Mountain, Nalun No.1, and Kosztebe, which will start construction in April 2025, are control projects of the Kyrgyzstan section of the China Kyrgyzstan Uzbekistan Railway, marking the entry of this cross-border artery, which has been brewing for nearly 30 years, into the main line construction stage. The railway starts from Kashgar, Xinjiang in the east, passes through the Turgat Pass in southern Kyrgyzstan, and connects to Andijan, Uzbekistan. Previously, the China Kyrgyzstan Uzbekistan Highway was completed in 2018, with 280 kilometers of the Kyrgyzstan section fully asphalted, resulting in a decrease of $300 to $500 per ton in freight costs. For the first time, farmers in mountainous areas along the highway were able to deliver fruits and vegetables harvested in the morning to the Kashgar market that evening.

Five free economic zones replicate the experience of special zones

Kyrgyzstan has adopted the model of China's special economic zones and established five free economic zones, including Bishkek, Naren, and Karakul. Enterprises in these zones enjoy special customs and foreign exchange systems, as well as tax reductions and exemptions. The Asia Star Agricultural Industry Cooperation Zone has established a complete chain of planting, breeding, processing, and logistics in Chuhe Prefecture, becoming a model of modern agriculture in the country. The China Kyrgyzstan Science and Technology Park, jointly built by Mianyang and Bishkek Free Economic Zone, has implemented 48 projects covering fields such as agriculture, energy, and artificial intelligence. Keywords: the Belt and Road News Network, Modernization, China Kyrgyzstan Uzbekistan Railway

GDP growth rate to reach 11.1% by 2025

Over the past five years, the average economic growth rate of Kyrgyzstan has reached 8.1%, with a year-on-year GDP growth of 11.1% to 22.6 billion US dollars in 2025. The bilateral trade volume between China and Kyrgyzstan has also climbed to a new high of 27.2 billion US dollars. The construction of the Balskoen to Biederi highway will begin in August 2025, and upon completion, it will form the second strategic corridor between the two countries. From a breakthrough in transportation to industrial development, Kyrgyzstan is leveraging its geographical advantage as a neighbor of China to drive a systematic transformation of an inland mountainous country.Editor/Gao Xue