Kazakh, Chinese experts discussed “Nurly Zhol”, “One Belt, One Road” programs’ integration

The event was organized by  The Institute of East European, Russian and Central Asian Studies (IEERCAS) of the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences (CASS), CASS Institute of Asian-Pacific and Global Strategic Research,   CASS Research and Development International Institute (RDI), Kazakhstan Institute of Economic Research under the auspices of the government of Jiangyin (Jiangsu Province) and Beijing-based DeHeng Law Firm.

Those representing Kazakhstan at the event were Vice Minister of Agriculture Gulmira Issayeva, Consul General of Kazakhstan to Shanghai Zhoshikhan Kyraubayev, diplomats of Kazakhstan’s Consulate General and Embassy in China, representatives of the Red Crescent Society, experts of the Institute of Economic Research, Global Economy and Politics Institute, Institute of Industry Development, representatives of the National Chamber of Entrepreneurs, Transport and Logistics Association, Ore-Mining and Metallurgy Enterprises Association, Kazakhstani Builders Association and other unions,  KTZ Express, BI Group, Agrovit, Uralsk Poultry Factory, Baiserke Export companies, Food Contract Corporation etc.

Chinese side was represented by more than 130 experts including member of the Standing Committee of the National People’s Congress (NPC), Deputy Chairman of the NPC External Affairs Committee, Director of the Research and Development International Institute Zhao Baige, employees of the Chinese ministries, CASS, China Railways, China National Heavy Duty Truck Group Co., Zhengjian, Kailin Group, China Coal Technology Engineering Group, Hareonsolar, Runda Solar corporations and other companies, as well as mass media (Xinhua, Chinanews, People’s Daily Online, CCTV, Guangming Daily, China Economic Herald, Economic Information Daily, Nanfang Metropolis Daily, The Beijing News, China Business News etc.

“Today’s event is an important proof of China’s interest in Kazakhstan and economic development in Central Asia (…) Presently, the relations between Kazakhstan and China are rightfully considered as being a model of mutually beneficial cooperation, which has reached the level of all-round strategic partnership, based on long-term priorities of development of our countries for the good of friendly nations. A regular political dialogue between our presidents plays a huge role in maintaining high dynamics of bilateral ties. Our leaders – Nursultan Nazarbayev and Xi Jinping – have established good  business and personal contacts which give an important impulse to our bilateral cooperation,” Consul General of Kazakhstan to Shanghai Zhoshikhan Kyraubayev said in his opening remarks.

He noted that China confidently holds one of the leading positions among Kazakhstan’s foreign investors, having invested  more than 20 bln U.S. dollars over the years of independence. In the past two years, the countries have signed bilateral investment deals worth 70 bln U.S. dollars.

Presently, Kazakhstan and China jointly implement more than 20 agricultural projects. The total sum of investments makes 1,735,000,000 U.S. dollars. 12 of these projects are based in East Kazakhstan and Almaty regions, which is very comfortable from the viewpoint of logistics.

“Today we are witnessing a breakthrough in cooperation in agriculture. A 88-container train carrying 2 000 tonnes of Kazakhstan-produced sunflower and rape-seed oil has arrived recently at Xian, Shaanxi province. It is of great importance for strengthening the Kazakh-Chinese mutually beneficial cooperation,” added Kyraubayev.

Joint participation in implementation of One Belt, One Road and Silk Road Economic Belt initiatives bring the Kazakh-Chinese economic cooperation to a new level. Being the largest landlocked country, but occupying advantageous geostrategic position in Eurasia, Kazakhstan has immediately backed these projects. The Silk Road Economic Belt idea correlates with Kazakhstan’s Nurly Zhol Program, which opens a new stage of large-scale infrastructure development of Kazakhstan. By both countries governments it was decided to establish a working group on their integration. A huge work is carried out on developing a new stage of industrial-investment cooperation,” he noted.

 The three-day workshop focused on the course of implementation of Kazakhstan’s Nurly Zhol and China’s One Belt, One Road programs, the prospects of their integration in   transport, logistics, trade, investments, construction, energy, agriculture, humanitarian dimension,  assistance in cooperation of enterprises etc.