Published on: 2026-08-31
Source: People’s Republic of China — Translation
An important disclaimer is at the bottom of this article.
August 17, Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan. Aerial photograph of the under-construction Barskoon-Bedel highway and the surrounding mountains. This project is being implemented by China Road and Bridge Corporation /CRBC/. /Photo: Xinhua/
Beijing, August 30 /Xinhua/ — “In Kyrgyzstan, the construction of the China-Kyrgyzstan-Uzbekistan railway is in full swing, the Bedel checkpoint has started temporary operation, the number of direct flights between the two countries is steadily increasing, and the network of multi-level and multimodal transport connectivity continues to improve,” says the authored article by the Chairman of the PRC Xi Jinping titled ‘China and Kyrgyzstan: Together Towards New Horizons of High-Quality Development of Bilateral Relations,’ published on August 28 in Kyrgyz media.
New roads stretching into the distance symbolize hopes for a better future and testify that Kyrgyzstan and China are jointly creating a new chapter in the history of pragmatic cooperation and mutual benefit.
STEEL SILK ROAD TO THE FUTURE
“The construction of the China-Kyrgyzstan-Uzbekistan railway is a strategic decision made by the governments of the three countries to promote regional connectivity, prosperity, and stability,” said the Chairman of the PRC, Xi Jinping, in a congratulatory message on the occasion of the railway construction launch ceremony in December 2024, noting that its construction reflects the shared aspiration of the three countries to open this strategic corridor.
August 15, Jalal-Abad region, Kyrgyzstan. The bridge under construction over the Kech-Alat river on the China-Kyrgyzstan-Uzbekistan railway. /Photo: Xinhua/
For more than a year, during bilateral meetings with the heads of Kyrgyzstan and Uzbekistan, Xi Jinping consistently paid attention to this project.
“We are an international team founded on mutual trust and support,” says 31-year-old Jyldyzbek uulu Nurgazy, who works in the city of Manas as a translator and driver on the China-Kyrgyzstan-Uzbekistan railway project. He closely collaborates with Chinese partners, putting all his effort into building the “steel Silk Road” aimed at the future. “Thanks to the wisdom of Chinese experts combined with the diligence and sincerity of Kyrgyz people, we will definitely complete this railway on time and with high quality,” says 31-year-old J. uulu Nurgazy.
February 13, Jalal-Abad Region, Kyrgyzstan. Chinese builders are working in one of the tunnels on the China-Kyrgyzstan-Uzbekistan railway. /Photo: Xinhua/
Another project employee, Nurbek Zhanybekov, said that with the support of the Chinese side, an educational institution for training specialists in railway transport has opened in the city of Manas. “Students are already enrolling, and, as they say, they will study here for one year and two years in China. We really need specialists,” he said. “Our people will be able to improve their standard of living with the construction of this railway. As far as I understand, it offers very good prospects for our country.”
“THE ROAD LEADING TO PARADISE”
The Bedel checkpoint on the China-Kyrgyzstan border is one of the key hubs in the transportation integration system of the PRC and Central Asia /CA/.
On May 19, 2023, the first “China-Central Asia” summit was held in Xi’an, Shaanxi Province /Northwest China/, where the President of the PRC, Xi Jinping, put forward an eight-point proposal to strengthen cooperation, including the opening of the “Bedel”.
In September 2024, China and Kyrgyzstan temporarily opened the Bedel checkpoint — the third automobile crossing on the border between the two countries after Torugart and Irkeshtam.
August 27, 2025, Barskoon, Kyrgyzstan. Equipment at the ceremony for the launch of construction of the Barskoon-Bedel highway. /Photo: Xinhua/
Builders from China and Kyrgyzstan are carrying out work on the construction of a new highway from “Bedel” to the village of Barskoon, located near Lake Issyk-Kul. After completion of construction, this highway will further promote the comprehensive operation of the checkpoint.
The road construction is currently in full swing: portal cranes, excavators, and other heavy machinery are working, and several extra-long tunnels are also being built in high-altitude and low-temperature conditions.
Deputy Director of the State Directorate for the Construction of the Barskoon-Bedel Road under the Ministry of Transport and Communications of the Kyrgyz Republic, Ulukbek Zhanibekov, noted that there are many challenging sections in the project, including permafrost. “We see now that Chinese companies have established a very good reputation both worldwide and in China itself. As you know, the largest bridges are currently being built in China, and the longest tunnels are also constructed in China. Therefore, we are confident that Chinese companies will excellently complete this project and that we will continue to cooperate in the future,” he said.
Zhanybek Orozaliev, a resident of the village of Barskoon, plans to go to China after the road construction is completed and “see everything with his own eyes.” “My father once said that this gorge was the road leading to paradise. This idea of paradise can be understood more broadly. If we have good relations and a good life, then that can be called a paradisiacal life,” he says.
ROAD CONNECTION — HEART CONNECTION
Beginning in China’s Xinjiang, the ancient Silk Road branched into several routes in Central Asia, one of which passed through the Chuy Valley, where the capital of Kyrgyzstan is located.
Currently, Bishkek is experiencing significant traffic congestion. Aziz Bayysov, Deputy Akim of the Pervomaisky District of the city, is confident that the construction of the Northern Bypass Road will help reduce traffic load and improve air quality. In his opinion, after the road’s completion, the ecological situation and transport logistics will improve, and the adjacent areas will develop.
June 2, 2025, Jalal-Abad Region, Kyrgyzstan. Bridge over the Naryn River on the alternative North-South highway. /Photo: Xinhua/
After construction is completed, the highway will connect the cities of Almaty /Kazakhstan/ and Tashkent /Uzbekistan/. “It is like an artery, that is, a bypass road around our city,” noted project coordinator Mirlan Karagulov. “It is international: from here you can travel to Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, and neighboring regions.”
Translator Zhanybek uulu Tilek speaks Chinese well. He expressed hope that more tourists from Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan will be able to conveniently reach Issyk-Kul via this road to relax there.
The plenipotentiary representative of the President of Kyrgyzstan in the Chuy region, Elkinbek Ashirbayev, stated that the project is viewed more broadly than just the construction of a highway, as “transport hubs, industry, and logistics will also be developed.” According to him, the road holds very broad significance for the Chuy region.
Speaking about the SCO summit in Bishkek, E. Ashirbaev said that “the cooperation of the countries in the SCO is actively developing and attracting other countries.” “Kyrgyzstan’s participation in the SCO also has great significance. I believe that it is precisely within such platforms that the interconnection of states strengthens not only friendly but also political, cultural, and economic ties,” he noted.
“When roads are open, people’s hearts connect.” These words of a local driver named Akmataliev reflect the feelings of many local residents.
Please note; This information is raw content obtained directly from the information source. It is an accurate report of what the source claims and does not necessarily reflect the position of MIL-OSI or its clients.