On Sep. 8, 2013, President Xi Jinping arrived in Tashkent, starting a state visit to Uzbekistan.

Around 18:05 local time, Xi Jinping’s special plane arrived at Tashkent Airport. Xi Jinping was warmly greeted by Uzbek President Islam Karimov, Foreign Minister Abdulaziz Kamilov and Mayor of Tashkent Rahmonbek Usmanov.

Xi Jinping extended the cordial greetings and good wishes to the Uzbek government and the people. Xi Jinping expressed that the China-Uzbekistan traditional friendship enjoys a long history. The ancient Silk Road linked the two peoples closely as early as over 2000 years ago. Over the 21 years since the establishment of diplomatic relationship, China-Uzbekistan relations have enjoyed all-dimensional and rapid development. Facts prove that it is an absolutely correct strategic choice for China and Uzbekistan to maintain friendship for generations and mutually beneficial cooperation. I am looking forward to exchanging in-depth views with President Karimov and other leaders on developing and deepening bilateral relations as well as other international and regional issues of mutual interest and to signing important political documents. I believe that the visit will surely achieve success to inject fresh strong impetus into the development of China-Uzbekistan strategic partnership.

Wang Huning, Li Zhanshu, Yang Jiechi and other accompanying officials arrived by the same plane.

H.E. Zhang Xiao, Chinese Ambassador to Uzbekistan, as well greeted at the airport.

Xi Jinping arrived in Tashkent by special plane from Almaty after concluding the state visit to Kazakhstan. Upon the departure from Almaty, he was seen off at the airport by Kazakh Deputy Prime Minister Kairat Kelimbetov, Mayor of Almaty Akhmetjan Esimov and others.

Xi Jinping will as well pay a state visit to Kyrgyzstan and attend the thirteenth Meeting of the Council of Heads of the Member States of the SCO.