Kazakhstan and China cooperation to reach higher level - KazISS Director
ASTANA. KAZINFORM - Agreements inked during President Nazarbayev's visit to China will give a powerful boost to new stage of industrialization in Kazakhstan, believes Director of Kazakhstan Institute for Strategic Studies (KazISS) Yerlan Karin.
"As you know, while in Beijing President of Kazakhstan Nursultan Nazarbayev said that the visit is a turning point in the history of Kazakhstan-China relations," Mr. Karin told a press conference at KazMedia Center on Friday. "Prior to the visit, our bilateral cooperation was developing dynamically, but mainly focused in energy sector. From now on Kazakhstan and China will jointly implement a wide range of new projects. For instance, construction of a plant producing oil and gas equipment in Mangystau region or a coal conversion plant in Karaganda region." In his words, these agreements will take cooperation between Astana and Beijing to a brand-new level and subsequently boost industrialization in Kazakhstan. Mr. Karin also added that the contracts signed during President Nazarbayev's visit are worth $23 billion. It is believed that these agreements will help cushion the impact of global economic crisis on Kazakhstani economy and serve as a driver for further development.