CHINA ENCOURAGES INVESTMENTS IN UZBEKISTAN

China hopes Uzbekistan could take measures to attract more Chinese enterprises to invest there while the Chinese government encourages them to "go out", Chinese Commerce Minister Bo Xilai said in Beijing on Tuesday. China values trade relations with Uzbekistan and bilateral trade volume this year is expected to increase by 80% compared to 2003, Bo said at the meeting with visiting Uzbek Vice Prime Minister Elyor Ganiyev, Xinhua reported. Bo noted that China was making efforts to implement the consensus reached by the two heads of states during Chinese President Hu Jintao's visit to Uzbekistan earlier this year. Both said the two sides could facilitate bilateral cooperation in such fields as oil, natural gas, electric appliances, irrigation, chemical industry and electricity. The two sides should make outline on major cooperative projects for scoring substantial progress in bilateral trade cooperation, Bo said. Ganiyev appreciated China's assistance to Uzbekistan's economic development, saying the economic and trade mixed committee should play its due role in promoting bilateral trade development.