Kazakhstan President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev on July 3 held talks with Chinese President Xi Jinping, who arrived in Astana on a state visit and for participation in a summit of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO).
Tokayev started the talks by saying that China is a strategic partner and one of Kazakhstan’s main allies.
President Xi Jinping reiterated that China considers Kazakhstan a priority of its foreign policy in relations with neighboring countries and an important partner in Central Asia. The Chinese leader assured his Kazakh counterpart that China will always be a reliable support for Kazakhstan.
The negotiations focused on the development of cooperation in e-commerce, production of automobiles and auto parts, transit and transport, logistics, energy, agriculture, finance, and tourism.
The leaders of Kazakhstan and China, via teleconference, took part in a ceremony to launch ferries carrying trucks and railway containers along the Trans-Caspian International Transport Route.
They also opened a cultural center of Kazakhstan in Beijing and a cultural center of China in Astana.
Speaking to journalists following the talks, President Tokayev emphasized that “There are no unresolved issues between us. We intend to unite our forces for intensifying trade, economic, scientific, technical, cultural and humanitarian ties. President Xi Jinping and I have just signed a Joint Statement, which outlines important achievements and long-term tasks for our countries. China is Kazakhstan’s leading trading partner. Last year, bilateral trade turnover amounted to $41 billion. In the near future we intend to double this figure. Beijing is one of our main foreign investors. Over the past 15 years, about $25 billion has been invested in Kazakhstan.”
According to Tokayev, in 2023, Chinese investments in the economy of Kazakhstan increased by 16% and reached $1.8 billion. “Today, 45 projects are being implemented for a total amount of $14.5 billion. There are more than 4,700 enterprises with Chinese capital in Kazakhstan. We are ready to create favorable conditions for Chinese companies wishing to develop the Kazakh market,” the Kazakh president said.
Tokayev also said that in 2023, exports of agricultural products from Kazakhstan to China doubled and reached $1 billion. “We look forward to increasing supplies of high-quality natural meat products, oilseeds and grain crops to the Chinese market. There are opportunities to increase the volume of Kazakh grain exports to 2 million tons.”
Photo: akorda.kz
