Uzbek Farmers Forced to Give Land to Chinese Firms
Farmers in Uzbekistan are raising concerns over the government allegedly forcing them to give up their land to Chinese businesses in the name of state-backed development. This move is said to be taking away thousands of hectares of fertile cotton and wheat fields from locals in the country.
According to reports from Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, farmers in Uzbekistan’s Ferghana Valley have claimed that their land is being taken into the state reserve and then transferred to Chinese businessmen. While official documents state that these land transfers are voluntary, many farmers who have signed over their land have shared accounts of coercion, threats, and intimidation by Uzbek law enforcement officers following orders from local officials.
One farmer, speaking anonymously for fear of reprisal, recounted being told by the governor that it was a presidential order and that they must either give up their land or face imprisonment. Similar stories of pressure and forceful tactics have been shared by other farmers in the region.
The issue of land transfers in the Ferghana Valley is part of a broader trend of anti-Chinese sentiment sweeping across Central Asia. Disputes over land, debt dependency, labor market tensions, and fears of China’s increasing influence in the region are fueling this sentiment.
Experts warn of the risks associated with Chinese investments in the region, pointing to instances of debt trap diplomacy that could leave Central Asian countries vulnerable to political pressure and asset forfeiture. The growing economic control by China, coupled with concerns over neocolonialism and the treatment of ethnic minorities in Xinjiang, is further exacerbating tensions in the region.
As Uzbek farmers continue to resist the alleged pressure to surrender their land to Chinese businesses, the issue highlights the complex interplay of economic interests, political influence, and local autonomy in Central Asia.
