China ready to increase number of vehicles passing through checkpoints on Kyrgyz-Chinese border

Bishkek, Dec. 2, 2020 / Kabar/. Acting Prime Minister, First Vice Prime Minister of Kyrgyzstan Artem Novikov met with Chinese Ambassador to the Kyrgyz Republic Du Dewen, the government’s press service said. Ambassador Du Dewen noted that, in accordance with repeated appeals from the Kyrgyz side, as well as after the meeting with acting Prime Minister, First Vice Prime Minister Artem Novikov on Nov. 25 of this year, the Chinese side held a series of meetings to increase the capacity at the Irkeshtam and Torugart checkpoints, following which the Chinese side proposed to increase the number of working hours from 8 up to 12, as well as transfer the checkpoint to a daily mode of operation, including on weekends. The estimated growth in the number of vehicles can be up to 30 vehicles per day. The ambassador also said that in order to improve the infrastructure at the Irkeshtam checkpoint, as well as to increase the traffic capacity of the checkpoint, the Chinese side decided to build two warehouses and install a crane for a container. Regarding the functioning of the Torugart checkpoint, the ambassador noted that the traffic capacity of this checkpoint depends on weather conditions and the decrease in traffic capacity at the checkpoints is directly related to the measures taken by the Chinese side to prevent the spread of coronavirus infection, as well as the special algorithm for the passage of goods through checkpoints. The acting Prime Minister, First Vice Prime Minister of Kyrgyzstan Artem Novikov thanked the Chinese ambassador for the prompt resolution of issues related to the work of checkpoints on the Kyrgyz-Chinese section of the state border, and noted that the Government of the Kyrgyz Republic is ready to support all the measures taken by the Chinese side to increase the capacity at the checkpoints. “From our side, all relevant services will be transferred to a joint mode of operation with the Chinese side. I am confident that an increase in the traffic capacity at checkpoints will have a positive effect on the development of bilateral trade, economic and investment cooperation during the pandemic. When organizing the movement of goods, all the necessary sanitary and epidemiological measures will be observed,” he stressed. In conclusion, Artem Novikov instructed the State Customs Service and the Border Service of of the Kyrgyz Republic to transfer the work of the checkpoint to a joint operating mode with the Chinese side.