7th Silk Road Int'l Exposition promotes China-Tajikistan interconnectivity

The 7th Silk Road International Exposition (SRIE) kicked off on Thursday in Xi'an, the capital city of northwest China's Shaanxi Province.

As one of the guests of honor countries at the SRIE, the diverse range of culinary products presented at the Tajikistan exhibition area captured the attention of attendees.

"Our booth is strategically designed to align with Tajikistan's human and geographical resources, featuring not only distinctive food products but also highlighting the cultural richness of Tajikistan," explained a representative of the Tajikistan exhibitors.

This year marks the 31st anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between China and Tajikistan, as well as the 10th anniversary of the establishment of a strategic partnership between the two countries.

Tajikistan was one of the first countries to support the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) and participate in the initiative.

Over the past three decades, the scale of trade between China and Tajikistan has seen continuous expansion. Starting from an initial trade volume of less than $3 million at the establishment of diplomatic relations, it has surged to nearly $2.6 billion in 2022, marking an increase of several hundred times.

According to data from the Agency on Statistics under the President of the Republic of Tajikistan, the country's foreign trade amounted to $1.54 billion in the first quarter of 2023, with trade with China accounting for 20.8 percent.

Farhod Vosidiyon, deputy minister of the Ministry of Economic Development and Trade of Tajikistan, expressed gratitude for inviting Tajikistan as the guest of honor country at this year's SRIE while meeting with Zhao Gang, governor of Shaanxi Province on Wednesday.

He noted that Tajikistan will seize this opportunity to deepen exchanges and cooperation in culture, education, industry, and other fields with various regions in China, including Shaanxi, and strive to achieve more fruitful cooperation outcomes.