TERMEZ, Uzbekistan, June 2 (Xinhua) -- China has helped to organize a training seminar on Monday for Afghan agricultural specialists in the city of Termez, southern Uzbekistan.

"This course is different, because for the first time a third country, China, has participated in organizing a seminar on raising the qualifications of Afghan agricultural specialists," said Mingbay Kholmuratov, deputy director of the educational center. "For this, we are very pleased and express our gratitude to the Chinese Embassy in Uzbekistan."

"As a close neighbor of Uzbekistan and Afghanistan, the Chinese side is interested in supporting the work of the center and has put forward the idea of a tripartite cooperation," said Zhang Wenchuan, deputy chief of mission at Chinese embassy in Uzbekistan, adding that "this course is the first fruit of trilateral cooperation."

"Afghanistan, being in the key direction of the Great Silk Road, is actively participating in the implementation of the Belt and Road Initiative. Participants of today's and future such seminars will contribute to the implementation of these noble goals," Consul General of Afghanistan in Uzbekistan Sangin Sakandry noted.

"The acquired knowledge and experience in this seminar will be very useful in the speedy recovery of our country's economy, peace and prosperity in the Afghan land," said Dr. Keramuddin Mahmoodi, one of the workshop participants.

According to Kholmuratov, since opening in 2018, the educational center has provided more than 80 short-term courses for representatives from various sectors of Afghanistan.