On December 5, 2016, President Xi Jinping sent a message to Shavkat Mirziyoyev, congratulating him on the election as President of the Republic of Uzbekistan.

Xi Jinping pointed out in the congratulatory message that China and Uzbekistan are good neighbors, good friends and good partners with sincerity and mutual trust. Since the establishment of bilateral diplomatic relationship, the two countries have maintained a sound development momentum and smoothly promoted political mutual trust, mutually beneficial cooperation and strategic coordination. This year, both countries officially established a comprehensive strategic partnership, which has opened up broad prospects for deepening all-round cooperation between China and Uzbekistan. Attaching great importance to the development of China-Uzbekistan relations, I am willing to keep close contact with you to jointly make China-Uzbekistan comprehensive strategic partnership inherit the past, usher in the future and forge ahead, so as to better benefit the two countries and the two peoples.