Launch ceremony for China-Kyrgyzstan-Uzbekistan railway held in Kyrgyzstan

The commencement ceremony of the China-Kyrgyzstan-Uzbekistan railway project was held in Jalalabad, Kyrgyzstan on Friday, and Chinese President Xi Jinping sent a congratulatory letter to the commencement ceremony of the cross-border railway project.

In his letter, Xi emphasized that the construction of the China-Kyrgyzstan-Uzbekistan railway is a strategic decision made by the governments of the three countries to enhance regional connectivity, prosperity, and stability.

He noted that the project represents a significant step forward in promoting cooperation and development across the region.

At the ceremony, representatives from the three countries unveiled the project's cornerstone.

President Xi's special envoy and director of the National Development and Reform Commission, Zheng Shanjie, attended the launch ceremony.

Zheng read out President Xi's congratulatory letter and delivered a speech at the event, emphasizing the project's significance as a milestone in trilateral cooperation.

Kyrgyz President Sadyr Japarov attended the event, stating that the railway will serve as an important strategic bridge connecting the countries of the East and the West.

Officials from the railway companies of Kyrgyzstan and Uzbekistan have also welcomed the project for its potential to enhance regional connectivity and foster development.

"Overall, the project will establish direct rail links to China for both Kyrgyzstan and Uzbekistan, significantly boosting the development of the Central Asia region. Furthermore, Kyrgyzstan is set to become a transportation hub, integrating into the global railway network, which will substantially accelerate its own development. In addition [to the railway infrastructure], the project will involve the construction of warehouses, logistics centers, and other facilities, fostering the growth of small and medium-sized enterprises," said Azamat Sakiev, director of Kyrgyz Railways (or Kyrgyz Temir Zholu state enterprise).

"Today (Dec. 27) marks a historic day for our three countries. Uzbekistan and Kyrgyzstan have been waiting for this day for 20 years. We have all been anticipating the launch of the China-Kyrgyzstan-Uzbekistan railway. This railway not only links China, Kyrgyzstan, and Uzbekistan, but also connects the entire Asian continent, including South Korea and Japan," said Hikmatulla Rakhmetov, the first deputy head of Uzbekistan Railways.

The railway, personally championed by the heads of state of China, Kyrgyzstan and Uzbekistan. is a flagship project of the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI). It serves as a strategic connectivity project linking China with Central Asia.

Originating in Kashgar, located in northwest China's Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region, it will cross the Torugart Pass into Kyrgyzstan, proceed westward through the Kyrgyz border city of Jalalabad, and terminate in the eastern Uzbek city of Andijan.

Based on the current progress, the project is set to officially begin construction in July 2025 and is projected to take six years to complete.

Launch ceremony for China-Kyrgyzstan-Uzbekistan railway held in Kyrgyzstan

Launch ceremony for China-Kyrgyzstan-Uzbekistan railway held in Kyrgyzstan

Palestinian journalists and media workers in the war-torn Gaza Strip face persistent security threats from the Israeli military, targeting these innocent professionals as they endeavor to cover the conflict and report on the destructive Israeli attacks in Gaza.

According to data from the Committee to Protect Journalists, as of December 20, at least 133 Palestinian journalists and media workers have been killed by Israeli attacks in Gaza since the latest round of Israeli-Palestinian conflict began in October 2023, marking the deadliest period for journalists since the committee began collecting data in 1992.

Five Palestinian journalists were killed in an Israeli airstrike that targeted a vehicle of the Al-Quds Today satellite channel stationed in front of Al-Awda Hospital in the al-Nuseirat camp in central Gaza early Thursday morning, according to Palestinian sources.

"Ayman, his mother and one of his brothers headed to Al-Awda Hospital to check on his wife who was in labor. There, he met a number of his fellow journalists who were in front of the hospital to cover the news, as he went to greet them, they were directly targeted by the Israeli occupiers," said Sameh AL-Jadi, a relative of a journalist who died in the attack.

The Israel Defense Forces said in a statement that acting on intelligence, the Air Force conducted a "precise strike" on an Islamic Jihad "terrorist cell" inside a vehicle in the area of al-Nuseirat.

Despite the Israeli military's assertion that they targeted a group of Islamic Jihad fighters, Palestinian journalists confirm that the victims were well-known journalists covering the events and that none of them were militants.

"This place is known for the presence of press vehicles marked with the signs of 'TV' and 'Press.' Everyone knows this area is designated for filming reports and live broadcasting. The occupiers deliberately targeted the press crew directly. We narrowly escaped death," said Talal Al-Arouqi, a Palestinian journalist.

Journalists in Gaza encounter particularly hazardous conditions as they strive to report on the conflict, which constrains their ability to document the devastating Israeli attacks, the persistent famine, the accounts of people's displacement, and the destruction of infrastructure.

"This Israeli war has no rules, so naturally it includes targeting journalists. We believe the bombing of journalists aims to conceal the truth, and we think the occupiers will continue to target journalists, medical staff and others as long as the world does not put an end to these crimes," said Sami Abu Salem, a Palestinian journalist.

Despite international law protecting the rights of journalists to conduct their work, Israel persists in targeting the media throughout Gaza. Many view Israel's targeted killings as an effort to block news coverage, especially considering that foreign journalists have also been barred from entering Gaza.

Palestinian journalists in Gaza face enduring security threats from Israeli attacks