BEIJING -- Chinese President Xi Jinping said Friday that the construction of the China-Kyrgyzstan-Uzbekistan railway is a strategic decision made by the three governments to promote regional connectivity, prosperity and stability.

Xi made the remarks in his congratulatory letter to the commencement ceremony of the railway project.

Noting that the construction of the railway reflects the shared aspiration of the three countries to open up this strategic corridor, Xi said that the commencement ceremony marks the transition of the project from conception to implementation, taking a critical step toward the goal of completion and operation.

Xi emphasized the need for close collaboration among the relevant departments and enterprises of the three countries to ensure high standards and high-quality progress in the construction of the railway.

Xi said that efforts should be made to build the railway into a new demonstration project for Belt and Road cooperation, so as to better contribute to the economic and social development and the improvement of people's well-being in the region along the route and to inject new momentum into building a closer China-Central Asia community with a shared future.

Kyrgyz President Sadyr Japarov, attending the ceremony held in Jalalabad, Kyrgyzstan, said that the railway is not only a transport corridor, but also an important strategic bridge connecting countries of the East and the West.

The project will strengthen Kyrgyzstan's status as a transportation hub, create a large number of jobs, and promote the development in fields including trade, tourism and industries, Japarov said, adding that he believes the three countries will complete the project with high quality, so as to open up new broad prospects for common development in the region.

Uzbek President Shavkat Mirziyoyev, in a congratulatory letter to the ceremony, said that the commencement of the railway project is an important measure in implementing the consensus of the three heads of state, promoting mutually beneficial cooperation, and advancing Belt and Road cooperation, which has great historic significance.

The railway will help promote regional trade and integration, promote personnel exchanges and cultural ties, build an important bridge for mutual learning among civilizations, and benefit countries and peoples in the region, he added.

The ceremony was jointly held by the National Development and Reform Commission of China, the Ministry of Transport and Communications of Kyrgyzstan and the Ministry of Transport of Uzbekistan.