On the ancient Silk Road in Uzbekistan, the once camel ringing commercial route is about to usher in a modern high-speed artery. On July 22, 2026, a major project groundbreaking ceremony was held in the Urtachilchik district of Tashkent Oblast, Uzbekistan. The official announcement was made that China Overseas Engineering Co., Ltd. had become the contractor for the Tashkent Samarkand toll highway project, fully responsible for the construction of the 282 kilometer highway. This transportation project, with a total investment of approximately 2.2 billion US dollars and expected to be completed by 2030, is a landmark project for China Ukraine to deepen connectivity and jointly build a regional transportation corridor.

Central state-owned enterprises' strength wins core large orders in Central Asia

China Overseas Engineering Co., Ltd. is affiliated with China Railway Group and was established in 1987. It is one of the earliest enterprises in China to explore the international engineering market, and its business scope has covered 88 countries worldwide. At the project commencement ceremony on July 22nd, the Ukrainian side officially confirmed the identity of the COVEC contractor to undertake the construction task of the entire 282 kilometer highway. With strong technical standards and overseas project performance capabilities, COVEC stands out in the competition, fully demonstrating the strong competitiveness of Chinese infrastructure brands in the international market.

$2.2 billion reshaping the transportation landscape of Ukraine

The project is 282 kilometers long and adopts a two-way six lane standard, connecting the four core areas of Tashkent, Syr Darya, Jizak, and Samarkand. The entire line will construct 92 bridges, 28 overpasses, and 60 tunnel style traffic facilities. The road surface will be made of high-strength integral concrete structure, and the designed maximum speed on flat sections can reach 150 kilometers per hour. After the completion of the project, the travel time from Tashkent to Samarkand will be reduced from the current 5 hours to 2.5 hours, and the daily traffic capacity of the road can reach 60000 to 80000 vehicles. The local freight cost is expected to decrease by 20% to 24%, activating the commercial and tourism industries along the route. Keywords: the Belt and Road news, expressway infrastructure, connectivity

China Ukraine cooperation to jointly build a new hub of interconnectivity

Uzbekistan has been committed to improving its domestic transportation network and seeking to consolidate its position as a logistics hub in Central Asia. The construction of the Tashkent Samarkand expressway by COVEC is a vivid reflection of the pragmatic cooperation between China and Ukraine. The implementation of the project demonstrates the comprehensive strength of Chinese enterprises in undertaking large-scale overseas transportation projects, further consolidating the cooperation foundation between China and Central Asian countries in infrastructure construction, logistics network connectivity, and regional economic and trade exchanges, and helping to promote the efficient operation of regional industrial and supply chains.Editor/Gao Xue