BEIJING - Chinese President Xi Jinping said Friday that the construction of the China-Kyrgyzstan-Uzbekistan railway is a strategic decision made by the three governments to promote regional connectivity, prosperity and stability.

Xi made the remarks in his congratulatory letter to the commencement ceremony of the railway project.

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Noting that the construction of the railway reflects the shared aspiration of the three countries to open up this strategic corridor, Xi said that the commencement ceremony marks the transition of the project from conception to implementation, taking a critical step toward the goal of completion and operation.

Xi emphasized the need for close collaboration among the relevant departments and enterprises of the three countries to ensure high standards and high-quality progress in the construction of the railway.

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Xi said that efforts should be made to build the railway into a new demonstration project for Belt and Road cooperation, so as to better contribute to the economic and social development and the improvement of people's well-being in the region along the route and to inject new momentum into building a closer China-Central Asia community with a shared future.