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Uzbekistan has taken another significant step toward expanding cooperation with China in the field of cultural heritage. A delegation led by Firdavs Abdukhalikov, Director of the Islamic Civilization Center in Uzbekistan, is currently on an official visit to the People's Republic of China. As part of the visit, representatives of the Islamic Civilization Center in Uzbekistan and the Shaanxi History Museum one of China’s most prestigious museums discussed prospects for cooperation in organizing joint exhibitions, conducting scholarly research, advancing museum studies, and jointly exploring the heritage of the civilizations of the Silk Road.
At the beginning of the meeting, Pang Yani, Director of the Shaanxi History Museum, emphasized that Shaanxi Province is one of the oldest cradles of Chinese civilization, noting that the region served as the capital of 14 dynasties throughout history.
According to her, the Shaanxi History Museum welcomed more than 5.2 million visitors in 2025, making it one of China's leading museum institutions thanks to its extensive archaeological collections, rare artifacts, and state-of-the-art exhibitions.
During the discussions, Firdavs Abdukhalikov, Director of the Islamic Civilization Center in Uzbekistan, provided a detailed presentation on the Center's scholarly concept and exhibitions, highlighting that it was established at the initiative of the President of the Republic of Uzbekistan, Shavkat Mirziyoyev.
He emphasized that the Center’s mission extends far beyond the history of Islamic civilization alone.
“The Center’s exhibitions present the continuous history of all civilizations that developed in the territory of present-day Uzbekistan through a unified scholarly approach. They begin with the pre-Islamic period and encompass the culture of the Fergana horses, the Sogdian civilization, the cultural and economic exchanges fostered by the Silk Road, as well as the broader processes of civilizational dialogue among peoples,” said Firdavs Abdukhalikov.
It was noted that the Center’s primary mission is to present the shared civilizational heritage that has connected different peoples throughout history on a solid scholarly basis and to promote it to the international community.
The Director of the Center also emphasized that the Shaanxi History Museum houses numerous unique archaeological discoveries related to the history of the Silk Road, adding that these collections provide a strong scholarly foundation for enriching the exhibitions of both institutions through future collaboration.
During the negotiations, the two sides proposed implementing a series of joint cultural projects next year to commemorate the 35th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between Uzbekistan and China.
The discussions also covered the following initiatives:
During the meeting, the Director of the Center noted that an agreement had recently been reached with the Hong Kong Palace Museum to organize a joint exhibition.
In his view, this partnership will provide a solid foundation for developing long-term cooperation with other leading museums across China.
For her part, Pang Yani expressed strong interest in further expanding cultural ties with Uzbekistan and affirmed her full support for the initiatives proposed by the Islamic Civilization Center in Uzbekistan.
“We wholeheartedly welcome these proposals. The deeper our peoples understand each other’s history and culture, the stronger the mutual trust and cooperation between us will become. We are connected by the Silk Road. Therefore, we would be delighted to implement joint exhibitions, scholarly research, and cultural projects together. We certainly look forward to visiting Uzbekistan,” said Pang Yani.
In this regard, the Shaanxi History Museum expressed its readiness to participate in joint exhibitions, scholarly research, and cultural initiatives, as well as to undertake an official visit to Uzbekistan.
At the conclusion of the meeting, the two sides exchanged commemorative gifts. A special guided tour of the museum’s permanent exhibitions was organized for the Uzbek delegation, offering an opportunity to explore the history of ancient Chinese civilization, pre-Islamic cultures, sculptures and works of fine art, archaeological treasures related to the Silk Road, and other rare historical artifacts.
The negotiations concluded with a mutual understanding to promote institutional cooperation in the museum sector, including displaying the Shaanxi History Museum’s collections in Uzbekistan, organizing joint exhibitions, conducting collaborative scholarly research, and strengthening long-term museum partnerships.
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