BAKU, Azerbaijan, July 30. Uzbekistan and China discussed expanding cooperation in agricultural science, biotechnology and sustainable farming during a meeting between Uzbekistan's Agriculture Minister Ibrohim Abdurahmonov and a Chinese scientific delegation.
This was reflected in the statement by the Ministry of Agriculture of Uzbekistan.
The Chinese delegation was led by Fu Gao, director of the Academic Committee at the Institute of Microbiology of the Chinese Academy of Sciences, and Li Xiaomin, vice president of Zhejiang University.
The talks focused on applying advanced scientific research to agriculture, deepening joint research efforts and expanding bilateral cooperation in agrarian science.
"The parties discussed prospects for implementing joint projects in agricultural biotechnology, remote monitoring, soil fertility improvement, drought-resistant crop varieties, water-saving irrigation technologies and measures to combat salinization and desertification," the ministry said in a statement.
The two sides also reviewed ongoing cooperation with the Xinjiang Institute of Ecology and Geography of the Chinese Academy of Sciences. Current projects in Uzbekistan's Aral Sea region include land restoration, cultivation of salt-tolerant plants and the introduction of smart irrigation technologies in cotton production.
The discussions also covered opportunities to strengthen cooperation with China's leading universities and research institutions to support innovation and scientific development in Uzbekistan's agricultural sector.
Members of the Chinese delegation also recognized Abdurahmonov's internationally acknowledged research in plant biology, particularly cotton genetics, and noted his contribution to the clinical trials of the ZF2001 COVID-19 vaccine.
According to the ministry, the meeting marked another step toward expanding Uzbekistan-China cooperation in agricultural science, innovation and biotechnology through new joint research and development projects aimed at modernizing the country's agricultural sector.
