At the VI Forum of Think Tanks "China — Central Asia" in Bishkek, Bakhtiyar Mustafayev, Deputy Director of the Institute of Strategic and Interregional Studies under the President of Uzbekistan (ISMI), proposed three areas of cooperation in the circular economy. The forum took place on October 22–23, 2026.

About the Forum

The event on the theme "High-quality Development and Joint Modernization" was organized by the Institute of Russia, Eastern Europe and Central Asia of the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences and the National Institute of Strategic Initiatives under the President of the Kyrgyz Republic. Think tanks from China and five Central Asian countries participated. Uzbekistan was represented by experts from ISMI, the Academy of State Policy and Governance under the President, and the International Institute of Central Asia.

Joint modernization, transport and digital connectivity, production cooperation, artificial intelligence implementation, human capital development, and humanitarian cooperation were discussed.

Situation in Uzbekistan and the Region

According to Mustafayev, a specialized agency has been established in Uzbekistan, private sector participation in waste management is growing, and a portfolio of projects for building 11 waste-to-energy plants is being formed. Key partners for their implementation are Chinese technology companies.

Central Asia generates approximately 25 million tons of solid waste annually. Limited national markets hinder the creation of a complete processing cycle for complex waste in each country. Cross-border value chains are proposed as a solution: collection and primary processing of recyclables in the region with subsequent deep processing in specialized technology centers.

Three Priorities

  • Supply of standardized recyclables from regional countries to China that meet Chinese requirements. Growing use of electric vehicles, batteries, and digital equipment increases demand for processing capacities and sustainable sales channels.
  • Joint ventures for renewable energy equipment recycling. Construction of solar and wind farms requires advance preparation for equipment recycling after its service life ends. This includes extraction of silicon, silver, and polymers from spent solar panels.
  • Joint educational programs for circular economy specialists. A partner could be the Central Asian University for Environmental Studies and Climate Change — Green University, which offers a specialized master's program.

According to Mustafayev, developing joint recycling production will create added value and new jobs within the region.