中国国务院总理李强呼吁在矿产和人工智能等领域深化与乌兹别克斯坦的合作，因为北京正与华盛顿争夺中亚影响力。
Chinese Premier Li Qiang has called for deeper cooperation with Uzbekistan in areas such as minerals and artificial intelligence as the Beijing vies with Washington for influence in Central Asia.
李强周六对乌兹别克斯坦总统米尔济约耶夫表示，北京准备加强战略沟通，扩大与乌兹别克斯坦的互利合作。
Li told President Shavkat Mirziyoyev on Saturday that Beijing was ready to strengthen strategic communication and expand mutually beneficial cooperation with Uzbekistan.
据新华社报道，他敦促两国在能源、矿产、金融和互联互通领域加强合作，并在人工智能和航空航天等领域深化合作。
He urged the two countries to step up cooperation in energy, minerals, finance and connectivity, and deepen collaboration in fields such as artificial intelligence and aerospace, according to state news agency Xinhua.
“面对复杂多变的国际形势，中国和乌兹别克斯坦应加强团结合作，坚定不移地共同前进，”他说。
“In the face of a complex and turbulent international landscape, China and Uzbekistan should strengthen solidarity and cooperation and remain firmly committed to moving forward together,” he said.
李强还表示，中国“准备确保中吉乌铁路高质量实施”，这是一项长期延迟的项目，将通过中亚连接中国和欧洲，绕过俄罗斯。
Li also said China was “ready to ensure the high-quality implementation of the China-Kyrgyzstan-Uzbekistan railway”, a long-delayed project that will link China and Europe through Central Asia and bypass Russia.
他为期两天的乌兹别克斯坦首都塔什干之行将于周日结束，此时北京正试图在与华盛顿的竞争日益加剧的背景下巩固与中亚的关系。
His two-day visit to the Uzbek capital Tashkent, which ends on Sunday, comes as Beijing seeks to cement ties with Central Asia amid its deepening rivalry with Washington.
该地区拥有全球重要份额的锰矿、钛和钴等对高科技产业至关重要的矿产资源，已成为主要的地缘政治博弈场所。
The region – which holds a major global share of minerals that are vital for hi-tech industries such as manganese ore, titanium and cobalt – has emerged as a major geopolitical battleground.
美国国务卿马尔科·卢比奥也将于本周访问乌兹别克斯坦，参加美国与五个中亚国家的年度C5+1会议。
American Secretary of State Marco Rubio is also visiting Uzbekistan this week for the annual C5+1 meeting between the United States and five Central Asian countries.
周六，他表示与该地区的关系“很重要”，并补充说美国希望“与他们建立关系”。
On Saturday, he said ties with the region were “important”, adding that the US wanted to “build our relationships with them”.
美国驻印度大使、南亚和中亚事务特使塞尔戈·戈尔上周在新德里参加一个论坛时表示，华盛顿希望“能够在该地区竞争”，并补充说中亚国家“富含关键矿产”，这些资源基本尚未被开发。
Sergio Gor, the US ambassador to India and special envoy for South and Central Asian affairs, told a forum in New Delhi last week that Washington wanted “to be able to compete” in the region, adding that Central Asian countries were “extremely rich in critical minerals” that remained largely untapped.
据新华社报道，李克强还告诉米尔济约耶夫，中国愿与乌兹别克斯坦在“重大问题”上开展更紧密的合作，并在中国-中亚机制、上海合作组织（SCO）等多边框架内加强协作。
Li also told Mirziyoyev that China was ready to work more closely with Uzbekistan on “major issues” and step up collaboration within multilateral groupings such as the China-Central Asia mechanism and the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO), according to Xinhua.
报道补充说，乌兹别克斯坦领导人表示，该国愿推动与中国的合作，并称双边关系已进入“黄金时代”。
The report added that the Uzbek leader had said that country was willing to advance cooperation with China, adding that the relationship had entered a “golden age”.
8月，米尔济约耶夫在吉尔吉斯斯坦上海合作组织峰会期间会见了习近平，习近平当时呼吁两国关系迎来“黄金十年”。
In August, Mirziyoyev met Xi Jinping on the sidelines of the SCO summit in Kyrgyzstan, where the Chinese leader called for a “golden decade” in the relationship between the two countries.
李克强周六还会见了乌兹别克斯坦总理阿卜杜拉·阿里波夫，当时他同样呼吁加强务实合作和深化政治互信。
Li also met Uzbek Prime Minister Abdulla Aripov on Saturday, when he made similar calls for closer practical cooperation and deeper political trust.
他表示，中国愿进口更多来自乌兹别克斯坦的“高质量和特色”产品，并敦促双方在文化、旅游和教育领域扩大交流。
He said China was willing to import more “high-quality and speciality” products from Uzbekistan and urged the two sides to expand exchanges in culture, tourism and education.
他还说，两国应共同致力于“推进一个平等有序的多极世界”，据新华社报道。
He also said the two countries should work together to “advance an equal and orderly multipolar world”, according to Xinhua.
报道还称，阿里波夫表示，乌兹别克斯坦愿与中国在农业、能源、矿产资源和人工智能等领域深化合作。
Aripov said Uzbekistan was ready to work with China to deepen cooperation in sectors ranging including agriculture, energy, mineral resources and artificial intelligence, the report added.
李克强和阿里波夫还共同见证了涉及贸易、教育、海关、卫生和减贫的协议签署。
Li and Aripov also witnessed theg of agreements covering trade, education, customs, health and poverty reduction.