BAKU, Azerbaijan, August 6. Kyrgyzstan and China discussed preparations for an intergovernmental agreement on the construction of a road border bridge at the Bedel checkpoint, as the two countries continue expanding transport connectivity.
This was reflected in a statement published by Kyrgyzstan's Ministry of Transport and Communications on August 6 following a meeting between Transport Minister Talantbek Soltobayev and Chinese Ambassador to Kyrgyzstan Liu Jianping.
"Special attention was paid to preparations for an agreement between the Cabinet of Ministers of the Kyrgyz Republic and the Government of the People's Republic of China on the construction of a road border bridge at the Bedel checkpoint across the Uzungu-Kuush River on the Kyrgyz-Chinese state border," the ministry said.
According to the statement, the sides also reviewed the current state of bilateral transport cooperation and discussed priority areas for its further development.
Soltobayev highlighted the strategic importance of the China-Kyrgyzstan-Uzbekistan railway project, as well as plans to build the Barskoon-Uchturfan-Aksu highway through the Bedel border crossing.
The officials also exchanged views on a draft intergovernmental agreement on international road transport and discussed logistics issues related to the transportation of fuel and lubricants. Both sides reaffirmed their readiness to further expand cooperation in transport and logistics.
To note, Kyrgyzstan and China have been steadily expanding transport connectivity through a series of cross-border infrastructure projects designed to facilitate trade and strengthen regional logistics. A major milestone was the opening of the Bedel checkpoint in September 2024, creating an additional road link between the two countries alongside the existing Torugart and Irkeshtam crossings. Both governments are now working to develop permanent transport infrastructure at the crossing, including roads, bridges and customs facilities, while the Barskoon-Bedel-Aksu highway is expected to become a new strategic route connecting Kyrgyzstan with China's Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region.
The Bedel corridor is being developed in parallel with the China-Kyrgyzstan-Uzbekistan (CKU) railway, one of the region's largest transport projects. Together, the two initiatives are expected to diversify transport links between China and Central Asia, expand freight capacity and improve access to regional and international markets. Kyrgyz and Chinese officials have increasingly discussed both projects as complementary elements of a broader strategy to strengthen Eurasian connectivity and support growing bilateral trade.
