Uzbekistan is one of only two doubly landlocked countries in the world, with transportation costs accounting for around 20% of its import and export costs. Sodiq Safoyev, Uzbekistan's first deputy Senate chairman, says the China-Kyrgyzstan-Uzbekistan (CKU) railway will not only shorten transit times between China and Europe but will also help Uzbekistan move from a transit route to a hub for value-added production. "It is not just a transport corridor; it's a corridor of development."