On June 22, 2016 local time, President Xi Jinping delivered an important speech titled "Jointly Compose a New and Splendid Chapter of the Silk Road" at the Legislative Chamber of the Supreme Assembly of Uzbekistan in Tashkent, proposing to build a “Belt and Road” mutually beneficial cooperation network, jointly establish a new “Belt and Road” cooperation pattern, forge a “Belt and Road” cooperative platform with multi-element, and promote “Belt and Road” projects in key areas so as to push forward the “Belt and Road” construction to a higher level and broader space.

At about 3:50 p.m. local time, Xi Jinping arrived at the Legislative Chamber of the Supreme Assembly of Uzbekistan. President Islam Karimov, Chairman of the Senate of the Supreme Assembly Nigmatilla Yuldashev, and Speaker of the Legislative Chamber of the Supreme Assembly Nurdinjon Ismailov of Uzbekistan greeted Xi Jinping at the parking place. All the audience rose to welcome him with applause when Xi Jinping entered the lecture hall. Nurdinjon Ismailov welcomed Xi Jinping's visit to the Legislative Chamber of the Supreme Assembly. Amid enthusiastic applause, Xi Jinping delivered his speech.

Xi Jinping pointed out that the Silk Road is a great treasure that we inherit from history. In 2013, I proposed to jointly build the Silk Road Economic Belt and the 21st Century Maritime Silk Road. Over the past 3 years, the "Belt and Road" construction has proceeded through exploration, improved through development and grew through cooperation, which has gained extensive recognition from countries along the route. Countries along the route have constantly deepened cooperation, and achieved positive results in many aspects by concentrating on policy coordination, infrastructure connectivity, unimpeded trade, financial integration and people-to-people bonds.

Xi Jinping emphasized that countries along the route have prominent advantages in natural endowment and market scale with high complementarity, great potentials, and broad prospects. We are willing to work with all sides including Uzbekistan to promote the "Belt and Road" construction to a higher level and broader space. Firstly, China stands ready to work with countries along the route, on a voluntary, equal and mutually beneficial basis, to jointly build a "Belt and Road" mutually beneficial cooperation network featuring practical progress, inclusiveness and mutual learning, openness and innovation, and pursuit of common development. Secondly, China is willing to actively conduct bilateral and regional cooperation and strive to create a new "Belt and Road" cooperation pattern, with wide consultation, joint contribution and shared benefits as the principle, the docking of development planning of countries along the route as the basis, trade and investment liberalization and facilitation as the bond, connectivity, production capacity cooperation and people-to-people and cultural exchanges as pillars, and mutually beneficial cooperation in finance as an important guarantee. Thirdly, China is willing to join hands with its partners to forge a new platform for the mutually beneficial cooperation among countries along the “Belt and Road” featuring multi-agents, comprehensiveness and cross-fields. Fourthly, China stands ready to work with its partners to continue improving infrastructure network, comprehensively promote international production capacity cooperation, enhance financial innovation, expand cooperation in people-to-people and cultural exchanges, and promote "Belt and Road” projects in key areas.

Xi Jinping pointed out that Central Asia was the gateway of the ancient Silk Road. China considers the Central Asian region as a key cooperative region and an important partner of the joint construction of the "Belt and Road". Both sides should enhance the docking of development strategies and planning, jointly seek for breakthrough points for cooperation, and constantly elevate cooperation level. China stands ready to work with Central Asian countries to jointly push forward the building of the China- Central Asia-West Asia Economic Corridor.

Xi Jinping emphasized that China and Uzbekistan are both great countries, and the two peoples enjoy time-honored friendly exchanges. Over the past 2000 years, the Silk Road has recorded peaceful coexistence of the two peoples and witnessed China-Uzbekistan friendly contacts from generation to generation. Since the establishment of diplomatic relationship between China and Uzbekistan, both sides have stuck to mutual respect and mutual support, promoted traditional friendship, deepened mutually beneficial cooperation, pushed for the constant development of bilateral relations and achieved fruitful results. China-Uzbekistan relations have been lifted to a comprehensive strategic partnership, becoming another milestone of the development of bilateral relations. We should join hands to build a new pattern of mutually beneficial cooperation which is multi-tiered, wide-ranging and comprehensive, promoting the two sides to write a new historical chapter for China-Uzbekistan friendly cooperation.

Xi Jinping pointed out that this year marks the 15th anniversary of the founding of Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO). As the rotating presidency of SCO, Uzbekistan has made positive contributions to pushing for tangible results from cooperation in all aspects. China is willing to work with Uzbekistan and other member states to take the Tashkent Summit as a new starting point and comprehensively elevate the cooperation level so as to let SCO better benefit the people in the region and all countries.

Xi Jinping stressed that it is hoped that all members of the Supreme Assembly can continue to be promoters of China-Uzbekistan relationship, supporters of China-Uzbekistan cooperation and inheritors of China-Uzbekistan friendship. Chinese people stand ready to make concerted efforts with Uzbek people and people of other countries to make unremitting efforts for the lofty cause of promoting peace and development of human beings.

At the end of the speech, the audience responded with prolonged applause.

Islam Karimov delivered a speech, in which he appreciated Xi Jinping's enthusiastic speech. He also spoke highly of China's great progress in development, and expressed that President Xi Jinping and Chinese people are true friends of Uzbek people. Uzbekistan is willing to continue deepening traditional friendship and mutually beneficial cooperation with China.

Over 200 people, including members from the Senate and the Legislative Chamber of the Uzbek Supreme Assembly as well as government officials attended the speech.

Wang Huning, Li Zhanshu, Yang Jiechi and others were present.