On March 26, Gao Xiang, president of the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences (CASS), met in Beijing with Sardor Umurzakov, advisor to the president of Uzbekistan on special development, and his delegation. Zhao Rui, vice president of CASS, attended the meeting.

Gao noted that, under the strategic guidance of the two heads of state, China–Uzbekistan relations have achieved a historic leap, with bilateral ties elevated to an all-weather comprehensive strategic partnership for a new era. He added that during the recently concluded “Two Sessions”—the National People’s Congress and the Chinese People’s Political Consultative Conference, China adopted a resolution on the outline of the 15th Five-Year Plan (2026–30) for national economic and social development, marking a new stage of more dynamic and vigorous development. Uzbekistan, for its part, is advancing the Development Strategy of New Uzbekistan and the Uzbekistan–2030 Strategy.

Gao remarked that the two countries’ development strategies are highly aligned, their governance philosophies compatible, and their economies strongly complementary, with bilateral relations currently at their best in history and cooperation across various fields showing strong momentum.

Gao also emphasized that CASS has long maintained close exchanges and cooperation with Uzbekistan’s academic community. He said CASS stands ready to expand collaboration with relevant Uzbek institutions, further strengthen exchanges on governance experience, support interactions among young scholars, and deepen collaboration in historical and cultural research and joint archaeological projects. These efforts, he noted, aim to make new, greater contributions to carrying forward the longstanding friendship between the two peoples and advancing the China–Uzbekistan all-weather comprehensive strategic partnership for a new era.

Umurzakov stressed that Uzbekistan is advancing reforms across multiple sectors and intends to conduct in-depth studies on Xi Jinping Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era, draw on China’s development experience, and promote alignment between the two countries’ development strategies. He added that the Uzbek think tank community is ready to further strengthen exchanges and cooperation with CASS to jointly implement the important consensus reached by the two heads of state and advance the Uzbekistan–China all-weather comprehensive strategic partnership for a new era.

Prior to the meeting, Umurzakov and his delegation visited the Chinese Archaeological Museum.