The Kazakhstan-China Business Forum Took Place in Astana
On September 4th, a Kazakhstan-China Business Forum took place in Astana with the participation of Deputy Prime Minister Serik Zhumangarin. The event, organized by the People's Government of Shandong Province, and the Ministry of Trade and Integration of the Republic of Kazakhstan, aimed to expand investment, trade, economic, and cultural-tourism cooperation within the framework of the "One Belt, One Road" initiative.
Representatives from the government agencies of both countries and leading enterprises from Shandong Province, such as Sinotruk, Shandong Heavy Industry Group, Shandong Wuzheng Group, Shandong Hi-Speed, Shandong Port, Haier, Hisense, and others, participated in the event.
Deputy Prime Minister Serik Zhumangarin, in his welcoming speech, emphasized that China is one of Kazakhstan's main strategic trade and investment partners, ranking among the world's leaders in all key economic development indicators. He stressed that cooperation between the countries continues to grow across all sectors, and today's forum is another important milestone on the path to comprehensive strategic partnership between the two nations.
Ling U, the Secretary of the CPC Provincial Committee of Shandong Province, highlighted the significance of the event as a mechanism for further strengthening ties between the countries. He mentioned that this business forum should provide impetus for Kazakh and Chinese companies to implement joint investment projects in agriculture, tourism, transportation and logistics, among others. He assured that the Port of Shandong is ready to assist Kazakh companies in exporting their products to countries in the Asia-Pacific region.
Nurzhan Abilkhaiyr, the Director of the Investment Attraction Department at "National Company "KAZAKH INVEST", spoke about the investment opportunities in the country, emphasizing that Kazakhstan remains the most attractive destination for investments in Central Asia, accumulating 61% of the total investment inflow to the region. He stated that the portfolio of joint investment projects between Kazakhstan and China currently consists of 52 projects worth over $21 billion and has significant potential for expanding investment relations.
The event also featured speeches by Vice Minister of Culture and Sport of the Republic of Kazakhstan Erzhan Erkinbayev, Vice Minister of Ecology and Natural Resources of Kazakhstan Nurlan Kurmalaev, Chinese Ambassador to Kazakhstan Zhang Xiao, the Chief of the Commission for Development and Reform of Shandong Province, Sun Aizhun, and others.
The forum discussed specific plans and cooperation projects between companies from both countries. Key topics included the development of transportation infrastructure, the adoption of new technologies, the development of agriculture and tourism, as well as the strengthening of cultural and educational ties. The event concluded with bilateral meetings between companies from both countries and the signing of several commercial documents.
For reference:
Shandong is located on the eastern coast of China and is the only outlet to the Yellow River basin. The city has 10 transport airports, 16 general-purpose airports, 7 coastal ports, 4 river ports, and 233 international container routes, ranking first among northern ports in terms of quantity.
Shandong possesses a robust industrial base encompassing all 41 major industrial sectors. The province's industrial production index stands at 80.3%, ranking first in the country.
