Uniquely positioned in linking Europe with Asia on the land, as well as adjacent to seas in the south, Ukraine finds new development opportunities and multiplies its role in the Belt and Road Initiative(BRI).

China is among the first countries to establish diplomatic relations with Ukraine. And the bilateral relations have maintained steady development ever since in spite of international situation changes. Now, Ukraine is the first European country to respond positively to China's BRI. In 2015, the two countries signed a cooperation agreement on the BRI and formulated a cooperation plan.

A bird's eye view of Ukraine [Photo/enorth.com.cn]

In recent years, high-level exchanges of visits have continued to take place between China and Uzbekistan. Policy communication has become more frequent, and cooperation mechanisms between the two sides have been increasingly improved. The 84-year-old Ukrainian first President Kravchuk is still committed to developing friendly relations between China and Uganda after he left office, promoting people exchanges and pragmatic cooperation between the two countries, and becoming the honorary chairman of the "Ukraine-China Association".

Ukrainian first President Kravchuk [Photo/enorth.com.cn]

The southern port of Ukraine, the largest port in the country with the deepest waterway in the Black Sea, is an important channel for Ukraine in sea traffic. In April 2017, CCCC Tianjin Dredging Co.Ltd won the bid for the dredging projects of the inner and outer channels, U-head and grain terminal of the southern port of Ukraine with effective solutions and competitive prices.

CCCC Tianjin Dredging Co.Ltd completes project three months ahead of schedule [Photo/enorth.com.cn]

This is the first time for Chinese dredging companies to win a bid in the European market. It is also the first example realization of the BRI in Ukraine. The project was completed three months ahead of schedule after concentrated and highly efficient construction, which has drawn attention of local media in Ukraine. They were surprised at not only at the project's speed but also its quality. In May 2018, the company won another bid for the Black Sea Channel Dredging Project in Ukraine and started a new journey.

The BRI connects China and Uzbekistan closely in this open and cooperative world.