Muhyiddin arrives in Uzbekistan for four-day official visit

Deputy Prime Minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin arrived here Sunday night to begin a four-day official visit to Uzbekistan aimed at strengthening ties with this Central Asian republic of about 30 million people.

The plane carrying Muhyiddin and his entourage touched down at the Tashkent International Airport about 7.10 pm local time (10.10 pm Malaysian time).

On hand to welcome Muhyiddin, who is making his maiden visit here, was Uzbekistan's Deputy Prime Minister in Charge of Education and Social Issues Ikramov Adkham Ilkhamovich.

Also present at the airport was Malaysia's ambassador to Uzbekistan, Abdul Aziz Harun.

Muhyiddin is accompanied on the trip by his wife Puan Sri Norainee Abdul Rahman.

The deputy prime minister is scheduled to hold talks with Uzbekistan leaders as well as preside over a roundtable session with the country's business community.

His programme also includes launching the Malaysian Education Fair and Art Exhibition 2014 and visiting the Uzbekistan State University of World Languages.

Uzbekistan is Malaysia's largest trading partner in the Central Asia region with total trade between the two countries recorded at about US$71 million last year.