Tashkent, Uzbekistan - May 18, 2023 (CGTN - No access Chinese mainland)
1. Various of traffic, pedestrians, passengers boarding China-made electric bus
2. Sign reading (English): "I love Tashkent"
3. Various of passenger boarding bus, bus leaving station
4. SOUNDBITE (Uzbek, dubbed with English) Passenger (starting with shot 3/partially overlaid with shot 5)(name not given):
"We received the new buses a couple of days ago. They're big and good-looking. A small bus used to run instead of this one, and it would get crowded because of the large number of people. Now it's much better."
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5. Various of passengers
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6. SOUNDBITE (Uzbek, dubbed with English) Passenger (partially overlaid with shot 7)(name not given):
"There are air conditioners. It's cool in the summer and it's warm in winter. It moves softly and does not shake. It's a very good option for people and it doesn't emit gas from the exhaust."
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7. Various of driver driving bus; bus view of traffic
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8. Various of electric buses in parking lot, interior of bus
9. Anvar Juraev, chairman of Toshshahartranskhizmat introducing bus interior
10. SOUNDBITE (Russian) Anvar Juraev, chairman of Toshshahartranskhizmat (starting with shot 9/partially overlaid with shot 11):
"Each bus is equipped with a sensor at the door that counts the precise number of passengers transported by each bus. This information will help public transport to create new routes based on the needs of existing passenger traffic in the city. We didn't have such devices in the past. Last year we also bought 20 electric buses as part of a pilot project. At the time we had abnormally cold weather of minus 23 degrees Celsius. For the first time in 80 years, during the cold weather, all the buses worked very well."
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11. Various of passenger flow sensor, smart system on screen
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12. Various of buses entering terminal
13. Yang Hu, manager of Yutong's Uzbekistan branch, introducing bus to reporter, turning air conditioner knob
14. SOUNDBITE (Chinese) Yang Hu, manager, Yutong's Uzbekistan branch (partially overlaid with shot 15):
"Our focus will be on serving our customers and integrating Chinese new energy products into the local market. For example, we aim to train talents in key technological fields for local new energy industrial chain so that we not only export NEV products but technologies, and establish standards and regulations for the safety and operation of new energy vehicles."
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15. Various of charger, screen showing battery being recharged
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16. National flag of Uzbekistan
17. Traffic

FILE: Zhengzhou City, Henan Province, central China - 2023 (CGTN - No access Chinese mainland)
18. Aerial shots of NEV buses in factory

Tashkent, Uzbekistan - May 18, 2023 (CGTN - No access Chinese mainland)
19. Bus on street, traffic

Uzbekistan has recently welcomed the arrival of new energy buses imported from China, with further cooperation in the New Energy Vehicle (NEV) field between the two countries laying ahead.

The China-Central Asia Summit, which ran from Thursday to Friday, took place amid the backdrop of a raft of deals signed between the two sides in the green automobile industry.

Uzbekistan has taken a proactive step by acquiring 1,000 buses from China, with 300 run on electricity and the remainder using compressed natural gas.

Some 400 of the buses have already been delivered to the capital Tashkent and put into service.

"We received the new buses a couple of days ago. They're big and good-looking. A small bus used to run instead of this one, and it would get crowded because of the large number of people. Now it's much better," said a passenger.

"There are air conditioners. It's cool in the summer and it's warm in winter. It moves softly and does not shake. It's a very good option for people and it doesn't emit gas from the exhaust," said another passenger.

The Uzbek electric vehicle market has witnessed a phenomenal boom over the past few years. The import of EVs has increased dramatically, and in February 2023 the sale of electric cars reached an all-time high of 746 units.

Local government in Tashkent says upgrading the stock of public transport is aimed at not just cutting waiting times and improving services.

The cost of an electric bus is four times less compared to diesel fueled buses, which will help public transport enterprises save money, according to Anvar Juraev, chairman of Toshshahartranskhizmat, or Tashkent Transportation Authority.

The Uzbek official says the purchase was made after thorough consideration of the infrastructure and production capabilities of companies, as well as the technical expertise and services they provide.

"Each bus is equipped with a sensor at the door that counts the precise number of passengers transported by each bus. This information will help public transport to create new routes based on the needs of existing passenger traffic in the city. We didn't have such devices in the past. Last year we also bought 20 electric buses as part of a pilot project. At the time we had abnormally cold weather of minus 23 degrees Celsius. For the first time in 80 years, during the cold weather, all the buses worked very well," Juraev said.

And this is not the end of cooperation between the two sides. Yutong, the Chinese manufacturer of the NEV buses in Tashkent, said it plans to better adapt to local needs.

"Our focus will be on serving our customers and integrating Chinese new energy products into the local market. For example, we aim to train talents in key technological fields for local new energy industrial chain so that we not only export NEV products but technologies, and establish standards and regulations for the safety and operation of new energy vehicles," said Yang Hu, manager of Yutong's Uzbekistan branch.

The transformations taking place in the Central Asian country are not only limited to new energy buses. Last month, the first China-Europe express from Shaanxi province sent over 260 BYD new-energy cars to Tashkent.

As China's NEV industry continues to evolve and expand, companies appear well-positioned to contribute to Central Asia's commitment in improving people's wellbeing and reducing the carbon footprint with a wider array of green products on the market.