Wang Kayven: China doesn’t insist on construction of a railroad across Kyrgyzstan to
2012-06-01 10:32:18
Summary：China doesn’t insist on construction of a railroad across Kyrgyzstan to Uzbekistan, the Chinese Ambassador Wang Kayven told a news conference today.
China doesn’t insist on construction of a railroad across Kyrgyzstan to Uzbekistan, the Chinese Ambassador Wang Kayven told a news conference today.
According him, this project will allow Kyrgyzstan to leave a blind alley and will promote economic advance. “This is an important project. There are various opinions. They say the railroad will further illegal migration and Chinese expansion. Let me go back to history. Why did such idea appear? In 1996, when China began construction of railroad in the south, Bishkek and Tashkent decided to join this project. It was offered to construct two routes in Kyrgyzstan – the northern and the southern. They chose the first. They made a draft feasibility study. Currently, our China Road Company is drawing up a detailed feasibility study at its expense. It will clear up preliminary cost sheet,” said Wang Kayven.
“We have two unsolved questions. The first is width of a rut. Kyrgyzstan adheres a Soviet standard while China – international one. This is a technical matter. The second is investment, who will pour money into. We have a lot of options and one of them is Chinese soft loans. Our government stands ready to issue them. But we need guarantees. This is people’s money and we cannot allot it for any particular reason. But Kyrgyzstan doesn’t have quota to take loans against national security,” said the Ambassador.
“Kyrgyzstan offered also to invest resources in the project. Now the Kyrgyz Government stated clearly that this option is unsuitable. Therefore we won’t consider it. Not long ago experts had a meeting. There were two options: concession or organization of joined venture. China considers both. This railroad is very profitable. Commodities’ flow is intense. China has two corridors, both are overloaded,” Wang Kayven explained.
“We don’t insist on construction. All international projects have to be based on mutual profit. This is good project. I am not an economist but you know very well about intense trade relations between Central Asia and Europe,” Wang Kayven stressed.
According him, this project will allow Kyrgyzstan to leave a blind alley and will promote economic advance. “This is an important project. There are various opinions. They say the railroad will further illegal migration and Chinese expansion. Let me go back to history. Why did such idea appear? In 1996, when China began construction of railroad in the south, Bishkek and Tashkent decided to join this project. It was offered to construct two routes in Kyrgyzstan – the northern and the southern. They chose the first. They made a draft feasibility study. Currently, our China Road Company is drawing up a detailed feasibility study at its expense. It will clear up preliminary cost sheet,” said Wang Kayven.
“We have two unsolved questions. The first is width of a rut. Kyrgyzstan adheres a Soviet standard while China – international one. This is a technical matter. The second is investment, who will pour money into. We have a lot of options and one of them is Chinese soft loans. Our government stands ready to issue them. But we need guarantees. This is people’s money and we cannot allot it for any particular reason. But Kyrgyzstan doesn’t have quota to take loans against national security,” said the Ambassador.
“Kyrgyzstan offered also to invest resources in the project. Now the Kyrgyz Government stated clearly that this option is unsuitable. Therefore we won’t consider it. Not long ago experts had a meeting. There were two options: concession or organization of joined venture. China considers both. This railroad is very profitable. Commodities’ flow is intense. China has two corridors, both are overloaded,” Wang Kayven explained.
“We don’t insist on construction. All international projects have to be based on mutual profit. This is good project. I am not an economist but you know very well about intense trade relations between Central Asia and Europe,” Wang Kayven stressed.
Key Words：construction,China,railroad