Chinese president's digital 'Silk Road' idea meets Kyrgyzstan's interests - Atambayev
BEIJING. May 15 (Interfax) - Kyrgyz President Almazbek Atambayev has expressed support for Chinese President Xi Jinping's idea of building a digital 'Silk Road' and proposed setting up logistics e-commerce centers in Kyrgyzstan.
"The One Belt, One Road concept presents us all with new opportunities and great prospects and it's a potential access to the sea for the Central Asia countries, in particular, our country. But in addition to addressing logistics and transport challenges, I would particularly like to support President Xi's idea of building a digital 'Silk Road' which he voiced in his speech at the opening of the forum," Atambayev said at a round table as part of the One Belt, One Road forum in Beijing on Monday.
"Kyrgyzstan is preparing a long-term development strategy until 2040, the key component of which will be the national program for digital transformation dubbed 'Taza Koom,' which means 'a clean, transparent society'," the Kyrgyz president said.
"In this regard, Kyrgyzstan expresses willingness to link the One Belt, One Road concept and the Taza Koom national campaign, and we suggest a joint implementation of the following objectives as initial steps: expanding the network of fiber-optic transmission lines passing from China to Europe through the territory of Kyrgyzstan," Atambayev said.
If those lines pass through Kyrgyzstan, "the data transmission speed [from China to Europe] will increase tenfold," he said.
The Kyrgyz president also suggested building high-technology logistics centers and developing electronic commerce jointly. "Amid the development of Internet giants, such as Alibaba and Taobao, Kyrgyzstan may become a country utmost favorable for building logistics centers for the purpose of promptly processing online orders for consumers of the Greater Eurasia countries," Atambayev said.
Kyrgyzstan supports the idea of building the China-Kyrgyzstan-Uzbekistan railway as part of the One Belt, One Road concept, he said.
"This railway would contribute to the development of the Central Asia countries' transport infrastructure, providing a direct and convenient access to the sea. This project, in general, is completely in line with the objectives of the One Road, One Belt initiative in terms of the creation of new and alternative transport corridors," the Kyrgyz president said.
Four international transport corridors are already operating in Kyrgyzstan, and, in addition, construction of a world-class highway passing through Kyrgyzstan to China will conclude next year, he said.
Atambayev also expressed support for the documents adopted during the forum and the suggestion that the One Road, One Belt forum become a permanent one.