The president of Kyrgyzstan has announced that the new 523 km railway connecting China, Kyrgyzstan and Uzbekistan at an estimated cost of US$ 8 billion will be built by a joint venture formed by the three countries.

The joint venture anticipates delivering the project under a build-operate-transfer arrangement, encompassing design, construction, and operation, with eventual ownership transfer to China, Kyrgyzstan, and Uzbekistan in the future. Construction of the new railway is projected to commence later in 2024. The project's feasibility study is presently undergoing updates after the completion of field surveys conducted by Chinese engineers in December 2024. An agreement to construct the new railway was signed by the governments of China, Kyrgyzstan, and Uzbekistan on September 14, 2022, during a summit held in Samarkand, Uzbekistan. This new railway will reduce the route length between China and Europe by 900 km and circumvent the Trans-Siberian railway in Russia. Freight transit times between China and Europe are expected to decrease by eight days.