Joint Workshop on Navigating Overseas Markets: Business Opportunities in Central Asia – Uzbekistan Successfully Held in Shanghai

Building on its flagship Tian Shan Forum, the CAREC Institute (CI), in collaboration with its partners, has launched a new workshop series to boost pragmatic investment and trade cooperation across Central Asia. The inaugural workshop in this series was focused on Uzbekistan and held in Shanghai from May 25 to 27, 2026. Co-organized by CI, the Shanghai National Accounting Institute (SNAI) and the Asian Development Bank (ADB), the event explored Uzbekistan’s business and investment environment and brought together over 90 representatives from government agencies, international organizations, financial institutions and enterprises.

The opening ceremony was moderated by Zhang Gexing, Vice President of SNAI. Senior officials from multiple institutions attended the ceremony, including Li Kouqing, Deputy Director One of CI; Lu Wenbin, President of SNAI; Batir Tursunov, Deputy Secretary-General of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO); Kutbiddin Ubaydullaev, Deputy Consul General of Uzbekistan in Shanghai; and Asad Aleem, Regional Head of Regional Cooperation and Integration at ADB’s Central and West Asia Department. In his address, Li Kouqing elaborated on the value and vision of the workshop series, defining it as “an additional bridge for regional connectivity”. He noted that the series aims to facilitate smoother, more efficient flows of people, products, investment and know-how across Central Asia. As a new cooperation platform, the initiative will advance pragmatic, win-win cooperation between China, Uzbekistan and other Central Asian economies and unlock the region’s development potential.

The three-day event delivered targeted insights into Uzbekistan’s investment landscape. It featured authoritative briefings from Uzbek experts, including Batir Tursunov, Deputy Secretary-General of SCO, Komiljon Karimov, Rector of Tashkent Westminster International University, and Muzaffar Karimov, Senior Researcher at Uzbekistan’s Institute of Macroeconomics and Regional Studies. The briefings focused on the country’s macroeconomic condition, foreign investment policies and tax incentives.

Representatives from Chinese enterprises and financial institutions with long-term investment and operational experience in Uzbekistan, including PowerChina, Sany Group, Conch Group and the Export-Import Bank of China, shared valuable on-the-ground operational and investment practices. ADB specialists additionally outlined the Bank’s procurement policies and its support for infrastructure and private sector development in Central Asia, focusing on project preparation facilities that help accelerate project implementation and expand regional links.

With the support of Zhejiang Chouzhou Commercial Bank, participants conducted a site visit to Yiwu to learn about inclusive financial services for cross-border investment. Featuring practical and market-focused content, the workshop was widely praised by participants as an effective platform for understanding Uzbekistan’s investment opportunities and operational risks, and for advancing regional cooperation.