The foreign affairs ministers of Kazakhstan and China signed a protocol to create new subcommittees focused on agriculture and innovation within the Kazakh-Chinese Cooperation Committee, as it was informed by MFA of Kazakhstan
The Minister of Foreign Affairs of the People's Republic of China, Wang Yi, arrived in Kazakhstan for an official visit on May 20, engaging in high-level discussions with Kazakhstan's Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs, Murat Nurtleu.
During their meeting, the ministers discussed a wide range of topics concerning Kazakh-Chinese cooperation, focusing on political, trade, economic, cultural, and humanitarian spheres. They highlighted the positive developments in high-level political dialogue and stressed the importance of implementing agreements made during previous meetings between the leaders of Kazakhstan and China.
Strengthening Strategic Partnership
Murat Nurtleu emphasized the significance of the bilateral relationship, stating,
“Kazakhstan attaches priority importance to strengthening good neighborliness, friendship and an eternal comprehensive strategic partnership with China. This fully meets the fundamental interests of our peoples, and also contributes to peace and stability in the region.”
He also noted that personal contacts between the leaders are pivotal to the continuous development of interstate relations.
Economic and Trade Cooperation
The discussions paid particular attention to expanding trade, economic, investment, and transit transport cooperation. They also focused on developing high-tech interactions and increasing non-resource exports from Kazakhstan to China. In 2023, bilateral trade between the two countries grew by 30%, reaching $41 bn. China remains the largest foreign trade and economic partner of Kazakhstan and one of the top five investors in the Kazakh economy, with Chinese investments exceeding $24 bn.
Several priority projects worth more than $7 bn have already been implemented across various sectors, including oil and gas, chemical, metallurgical, agro-industrial, and mining.
Agricultural Collaboration
One of the key topics was establishing mutually beneficial cooperation in the agricultural sector. Kazakhstan expressed its readiness to support Chinese businesses in implementing projects related to the production and deep processing of agricultural products. This collaboration is expected to bolster the agricultural sectors of both nations.
Multilateral Cooperation
The ministers also exchanged views on regional and international issues, agreeing to continue close coordination within multilateral frameworks such as the UN, SCO, CICA, and the Central Asia-China format.
“Kazakhstan is an important neighbor and priority partner for China. We are ready to continue, together with the Kazakh side, to strengthen strategic coordination and close contacts,” said Wang Yi.
Cultural and Humanitarian Ties
Cultural and humanitarian ties were also emphasized as fundamental to the strong and long-term relations between Kazakhstan and China. The mutual visa-free regime and the ongoing “Year of Tourism of Kazakhstan in China” have significantly boosted business and interpersonal contacts and increased tourist flows between the two countries.
Earlier Daryo reported that China and Uzbekistan have upgraded their relationship to an all-weather comprehensive strategic partnership for a new era, announced Chinese President Xi Jinping during talks with Uzbek President Shavkat Mirziyoyev in Beijing on January 24. Xi emphasized the deepening and strengthening of the friendship between the two countries, highlighting their long-standing diplomatic ties and mutual cooperation.
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