ALMATY – Kazakhstan and China should move from individual investment projects toward integrated production ecosystems, President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev said Sept. 25 at the Kazakhstan-China Investment Forum in Almaty, outlining transport, industry, critical minerals, digitalization and agriculture as key areas for deeper cooperation.
President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev attended a Sept. 25 Kazakhstan-China Investment Forum in Almaty, outlining transport, industry, critical minerals, digitalization and agriculture as key areas for deeper cooperation. Photo credit: Akorda. More than 600 delegates, including Chinese corporations, Kazakh businesses, government bodies and development institutions, took part in the forum.
Participants also observed a minute of silence in memory of the service members who died in the Mangystau Region. Opening the forum, Tokayev said that Chinese investment in Kazakhstan has exceeded $29 billion, while more than 9,000 enterprises with Chinese participation operate in the country.
The two governments are working to increase bilateral trade to $100 billion. “China is the main trading partner of Kazakhstan. Following the results of last year, trade turnover approached a record level of $50 billion,” Tokayev said. He noted that the ratification of the agreement on the promotion and mutual protection of investments had strengthened the legal foundation for cooperation, while the visa-free regime was helping expand business ties.
“Under conditions of profound transformation of the global economy, Kazakhstan and China are capable of offering a modern and effective model of constructive cooperation based on mutual trust, openness and common long-term interests,” Tokayev said. Middle Corridor remains a strategic priority Transport and logistics featured prominently in Tokayev’s address as Kazakhstan seeks to strengthen its role between Chinese and European markets.
“Together with international partners, we are increasing railway capacity, expanding highways and seaports, developing cargo aviation and border infrastructure. From Lianyungang to Aktau, a network of logistics hubs has been formed, connecting the Chinese coast with the Caspian Sea,” he said.
“A new important link in the logistics network will be the Kazakh-Chinese terminal in Chengdu, where the General Consulate of Kazakhstan is planned to open. We consider the development of the Middle Corridor, which is forming a modern configuration of transport links between Asia and Europe, a priority task,” Tokayev added.
Wang Haiyan, deputy director of the Institute of Russian and Eurasian Studies and director of the Center for Kazakhstan Studies at East China Normal University, said transport and logistics remain among the areas of greatest interest to Chinese investors.