Published on: 2026-07-16
Source: People’s Republic of China — Translation
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Information about the interlocutor:
Mirzatillo Alisherovich Tillabayev is an Uzbek specialist in human rights, international and constitutional law, Doctor of Juridical Science, professor. Over the years, he has held managerial positions within the system of the Commissioner of the Oliy Majlis of the Republic of Uzbekistan for Human Rights — the Ombudsman, the National Center of the Republic of Uzbekistan for Human Rights, as well as the Center for Advanced Training of Lawyers under the Ministry of Justice of the Republic of Uzbekistan.
Mirzatillo Tillabayev has been engaged for many years in research in the fields of human rights, international and constitutional law. He is the author of more than 150 scientific publications, several monographs, textbooks, and educational-methodical aids. His monograph “Modern China and the New Uzbekistan: Human Rights, Development and Strategic Partnership” has attracted wide interest in Uzbekistan.
On June 12, 2026, a delegation of faculty and students from the Institute of Regional and Country Studies of Peking University visited the National Center of the Republic of Uzbekistan for Human Rights and conducted an interview with the first deputy director of the Center, Mirzatillo Tillabayev, dedicated to intercivilizational exchange and mutual enrichment of civilizations.
According to Tillabaev, China and Uzbekistan have their own civilizational traditions, so each of the two countries should independently seek a path of reforms and development that corresponds to their national conditions, relying on their historical heritage and current realities.
Below is the full text of the interview.
Question:
Mirzatillo Alisherovich, it is a great honor for us to have the opportunity to speak with you. Your hometown is Andijan, located in the Fergana Valley in eastern Uzbekistan. This city will become the terminus of the under-construction China–Kyrgyzstan–Uzbekistan railway — a flagship project within the joint implementation of the “One Belt, One Road” initiative. What opportunities will this railway open up for the development of your native region? What risks will require joint response?
Answer:
First of all, I would like to welcome the delegation from Peking University. Over the past two years, I have visited China multiple times, where I had the opportunity to interact with many renowned professors and scientists. I have also been to several Chinese cities, including Shenzhen, Xi’an, and Luoyang.
The China-Kyrgyzstan-Uzbekistan railway is being built at the initiative of the heads of the three states and has broad prospects within the framework of the “One Belt, One Road” initiative. During my stay in Xi’an, I visited the international port area. There are a large number of containers and trains concentrated there. It is an important land port connecting China with European and Central Asian countries.
For millennia, Uzbekistan has been at the very center of the Silk Road. Samarkand, Bukhara, and Tashkent have been major trading cities since ancient times, linking various ancient civilizations of Eurasia. After the discovery of maritime trade routes, the importance of overland routes somewhat declined. However, the under-construction China–Kyrgyzstan–Uzbekistan railway corridor will promote the development of the entire region, not just Uzbekistan or any single city, such as Andijan.
First of all, the transportation times for cargo will be significantly reduced. Previously, transportation took a lot of time, whereas now the duration of shipments will be substantially shortened. After the construction is completed and the railway is put into operation, in my opinion, both the economic potential of the region and the current trade volumes will noticeably increase.
Secondly, the railway will create new jobs throughout the region. This concerns logistics, maintenance services, implementation of new technologies, operation of new railway trains and stations, as well as the development of related industries. All of this combined will contribute to the expansion of value-creation chains.
I am convinced that this railway will benefit the entire region. Soon we will be able to see how production and transportation change. These changes will affect the economy of the entire region, and primarily Uzbekistan.
Question:
In your observations and research, what does China’s experience in poverty alleviation consist of? Have you seen specific examples of such work? What ideas and approaches of China in the fight against poverty are of particular interest to you?
Answer:
Over the past decades, China has lifted more than 700 million people out of poverty. This experience undoubtedly deserves respect and serious study.
In Uzbekistan, the book by the Chairman of the PRC, Xi Jinping, “Poverty Alleviation,” has been translated and published. A large-scale presentation of this edition also took place in our country. Last year, we translated into Uzbek the collection “Selected Statements of Xi Jinping on Respecting and Ensuring Human Rights.” The ideas and practical experience contained in these works are very useful to us.
As for poverty elimination, I primarily consider the Chinese approach of “one village—one product” to be very valuable. In Xi’an, I saw with my own eyes how mushroom production is organized. In Uzbekistan, at the initiative of the President, a similar approach has also started to be implemented in many areas where the employment problem is acute, developing production based on the principle “one village—one product.” This mechanism has great prospects.
The second important direction is social support and credit provision. In Uzbekistan, as in China, preferential loans are provided to low-income families. This, firstly, helps ensure employment of the population and, secondly, contributes to improving the citizens’ standard of living.
The third direction is related to youth. Uzbekistan is a young country, and youth is our most important asset. The average age of the population is approximately 28-29 years. This means that we have significant labor resources.
The state pays great attention to education. Just ten years ago, only about 9–10 percent of young people could obtain higher education. Now this figure has increased three to four times and has reached approximately 35–40 percent.
The government also actively supports young entrepreneurs, helping them obtain startup capital. In particular, concessional loans are provided for the implementation of projects in the field of information technology and the creation of startups. In certain special zones, reduced or even zero tax rates are established for entrepreneurs.
The fourth area is women’s entrepreneurship. In China, I have seen many women leading small and micro enterprises. They not only participate in production themselves but also create jobs for other women. This involves not only manufacturing activities but also information technology services, the service sector, logistics, and delivery.
In Uzbekistan, the government also pays great attention to involving women in entrepreneurial activities. Women, especially those living in rural areas, are provided with concessional loans so that they can develop production and create new products. All this contributes to improving the welfare of the population as a whole.
Question:
The Silk Road connected China and Uzbekistan. What lessons from the centuries-old history of contacts between the two countries should be passed on to future generations? How can we draw useful experience from history?
Answer:
We study the past in order to promote the harmonious development of the entire society. Without knowledge of history, it is impossible to form a fully developed modern individual.
Of course, today, in the era of information and modern technologies, the internet and social networks occupy an important place in people’s lives. Encouraging children and youth to study history from books is becoming increasingly difficult.
I believe that studying history and rich cultural heritage will help shape a generation of people who cherish their history, respect their ancestors, and understand the values underlying the development of their own society.
The traditions of China and Uzbekistan also indicate that some elements of modern Western civilization do not always suit our societies. We must rely on our own historical roots and take into account the features of our society’s development.
There is a proverb in China that can be conveyed as: “Gold is born on the tip of the hoe.” In Uzbekistan, there is a similar proverb: “Flatbread doesn’t fall from the sky by itself.”
In other words, everything must be achieved through one’s own labor. For example, today we are in a modern office equipped with air conditioning and all necessary conveniences. None of this came about by itself; it is the result of the work of several generations.
Every person needs, when addressing history, to understand the meaning and the path of development of their own people.
Photo: Lu Yikun
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