SM Lee visits historic Samarkand, explores opportunities for Singapore ties

SAMARKAND, Uzbekistan - Senior Minister Lee Hsien Loong visited historic and religious landmarks in Samarkand and met the governor of the region during a two-day visit to the ancient Silk Road city.Lee arrived in Samarkand from the Uzbek capital Tashkent by train on Aug 29 and was received by Samarkand Region Governor Adiz Boboev and Deputy Governor Rustam Kobilov.Samarkand is one of Central Asia’s oldest cities and was for centuries a key stop on the Silk Road, where traders, travellers and scholars from across Asia and beyond met.During a meeting, Boboev updated Lee on development plans for Samarkand and highlighted areas where Singapore businesses could participate and work with Uzbek partners.In a Facebook post on Aug 30, Lee said he and Boboev had discussed the economic and investment potential of their regions.SM Lee Hsien Loong met the Governor of the Samarkand Region, Adiz Muzafarovich Boboev. PHOTO: MDDIHe noted that Samarkand was an ancient city with rich cultural, religious and historical roots, and said it had great potential to grow its tourism industry.“There is much our cities can learn from each other. We hope to explore new markets, expand business opportunities and strengthen people-to-people ties,” Lee said.Lee also visited the Imam Al-Bukhari Memorial Complex on Aug 29, an important religious and pilgrimage site built around the burial place of the renowned ninth-century Islamic scholar.Imam Al-Bukhari is best known for compiling Sahih al-Bukhari, regarded as one of the most authoritative collections of hadith, or records of the sayings and actions of the Prophet Muhammad.During the visit, Lee was briefed on the scholar’s life and the history of the complex. He also joined a prayer led by local religious officials at Imam Al-Bukhari’s tomb.Senior Minister Lee Hsien Loong toured the Imam Bukhari Memorial Complex in Samarkand, Uzbekistan on Aug 29. ST PHOTO: GAVIN FOOLater that evening, Lee watched a light show at Registan Square, one of the city’s most recognisable landmarks.The square is at the heart of ancient Samarkand and served as a centre of commerce, learning and public life from the 14th century.The next day, Lee returned to the square for a tour of the historic site, where he also stopped to take photographs.He also visited Siyob Bazaar, one of Samarkand’s best-known markets, where he interacted with stallholders and visitors and took photographs with them.SM Lee Hsien Loong took photos with stallholders at Siyob Bazaar on Aug 29. ST PHOTO: GAVIN FOOLee also visited the Gur-e-Amir Mausoleum, the resting place of the 14th-century conqueror Amir Timur, also known as Tamerlane, who made Samarkand the capital of his empire.Located in the Zerafshan River valley in present-day Uzbekistan, Samarkand was for centuries an important stop on the Silk Road, the network of trade routes linking China and Central Asia with Persia and the Mediterranean.Its position made the city not only a trading hub, but also a meeting point for different cultures, religions and ideas.Lee returned to Tashkent by train on Aug 30, as he continued his official visit to Uzbekistan.Earlier in the visit, Singapore and Uzbekistan took the first formal step towards negotiating a free trade agreement, and signed three agreements aimed at deepening economic cooperation.Lee began his visit to Uzbekistan on Aug 27, after spending three days in Kazakhstan. The eight-day trip, which ends on Aug 31, is his first official visit to Central Asia.