JINAN/BISHKEK, Sept. 30 (Xinhua) -- In Bishkek, the capital of Kyrgyzstan, natural gas buses from China have become a familiar sight. In recent years, Chinese clean-energy buses have continued to roll out of the country onto the streets of Bishkek and other cities, supporting green mobility and skills training.
In 2022, the Bishkek city government purchased 120 natural gas buses from Zhongtong Bus Holding Co., Ltd. Compared with the small diesel buses common locally, they are more spacious, cleaner and more comfortable, and their performance prompted an additional order for 1,000 vehicles.
Qi Honglei, dean of Zhongtong's bus research institute, said the buses were developed to local requirements using lightweight monocoque technology, with a range of more than 400 km on a single fill -- enough for peak-hour demand. "Climate, roads and energy conditions differ by country, so we customize to actual needs so vehicles are truly suited to long-term local operation," he said.
Omurzakov, general manager of Bishkek City Transport, said the Chinese buses now run on 48 routes covering almost the entire city and Chuy Region. Their introduction has eased congestion and delivered environmental benefits, aligning with Bishkek's green economy and sustainable development goals.
Chinese companies are not only delivering vehicles but also cultivating local skills. With the opening of the Bishkek bus maintenance center in September 2023, Zhongtong established an integrated support system covering on-site service, spare parts storage and technical training.
At the maintenance center, technician Askatov said Chinese engineers regularly run training courses to help local staff improve repair skills. "Whenever we run into a problem, the Chinese experts quickly guide us on how to diagnose and fix it," he said.
Mu Xinjun, Zhongtong's resident service engineer, said: "At first we repaired and they watched, then we repaired together, and now they can handle many problems on their own. We want to help build a complete local system for identifying and solving problems."
Building on experience in Central Asian markets such as Kyrgyzstan and Uzbekistan, Zhongtong has expanded to Portugal, Denmark, Singapore, the UAE, Saudi Arabia and Malaysia with customized products and support systems.
In 2024, 48 Zhongtong electric city buses were exported to Portugal; in 2025 its electric buses entered Denmark for the first time; and this year 42 electric dual-source trolleybuses began service in Mexico for part of the 2026 FIFA World Cup -- Chinese clean-energy buses becoming a vivid illustration of China's contribution to the global green transition.
