Factsheet: State Visit of Chinese President Xi Jinping to Kazakhstan

Արմինֆո.Chinese President Xi Jinping arrived in Kazakhstan on July 2, 2024, as part of a state visit and to participate in the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) Summit held in Astana on July 3-4.

On July 3, President Xi Jinping and Kazakh President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev held discussions in Astana. Their talks focused on enhancing bilateral cooperation across various domains, including trade, investment, technology, and cultural exchange.

This factsheet outlines the key points from the discussions and the agreements reached between Kazakhstan and China.

Key Points from the Discussions

Statement from President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev:

• China is a friendly neighbouring state, an important strategic partner, and one of Kazakhstan’s main allies.
• Kazakhstan is ready to support, in a constructive spirit, the issues related to the implementation of China’s initiative, “Building a community with a common destiny for humanity.”
• Kazakhstan’s position on the One China Policy remains unchanged.
• Kazakhstan stands for cooperation in the fight against the “forces of three evils” – terrorism, separatism, and extremism.
• Kazakhstan appreciates the continued support of China, which resolutely advocates for the respect of the sovereignty and independence of all countries.

Statement from President Xi Jinping:

• Since assuming the office of Head of State, President Tokayev has been comprehensively and purposefully promoting Kazakhstan’s reforms and development.
• Kazakhstan has adopted a whole package of effective measures in domestic and foreign policy. Thanks to this, the aggregate power and international authority of Kazakhstan has significantly increased.
• China supports Kazakhstan’s constructive role in the international arena as a middle power.
• China supports Kazakhstan in joining the BRICS group. The BRICS group includes the most prominent emerging economies, namely Brazil, Russia, India, China, and South Africa, and since the beginning of the year, also Egypt, Ethiopia, Iran, and the United Arab Emirates.
• No matter how the international situation changes, China’s desire to preserve friendship, its determination to develop multifaceted cooperation, its commitment to mutual support on key issues, and its confidence in achieving national development goals will remain unchanged.

Key Issues Covered and Initiatives Launched

• The two sides have set a new goal of doubling bilateral trade at an early date.
• The parties discussed the prospects for the development of investment cooperation in various areas, including e-commerce, automobile production and auto parts, transit and transport, logistics, energy, agriculture, finance, and tourism.
• Noting the presence of effective mechanisms for developing trade and investment cooperation between Kazakhstan and China, the state leaders confirmed the readiness to provide every possible assistance to the successful implementation of current and future business projects.
• Kassym-Jomart Tokayev and Xi Jinping also exchanged views on deepening interregional cooperation and expanding cultural and humanitarian contacts.
• The Chinese side will hold China Tourism Year in Kazakhstan in 2025.
• The sides noted the alignment of their positions on issues on the international agenda and emphasized the need to further strengthen multilateral diplomacy.
• President Tokayev supported the opening of a branch of the Beijing Language and Culture University and the “Lu Ban Workshop,” stating that the expansion of scientific and educational ties between the two countries aligns with the spirit of an eternal comprehensive strategic partnership.
• The leaders of Kazakhstan and China participated in the ceremony of sending trucks and railway containers along the Trans-Caspian International Transport Route via teleconference.
• The Presidents opened cultural centres in Beijing and Astana. These centres will host various cultural events, exhibitions, lectures, and master classes aimed at strengthening mutual understanding between the peoples of the two friendly countries.

Joint Statement and Signed Agreements during the State Visit

President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev and President Xi Jinping signed a Joint Statement following their talks. Numerous agreements were also signed covering various areas of cooperation, including:

1. Political and Party Cooperation: Exchange and cooperation between Kazakhstan’s “AMANAT” Party and the Communist Party of China.
2. Economic and Trade Agreements: Implementation roadmap for trade cooperation, technical and economic cooperation agreements.
3. Transport and Infrastructure: Expansion of cross-border railways, innovative technologies, and Trans-Caspian transport route cooperation.
4. Strategic Minerals and Clean Energy: Cooperation in strategic minerals for clean energy technologies.
5. Education and Science: Language education, joint laboratories, smart agriculture, and microsatellite research.
6. Agriculture and Veterinary: Veterinary protocols for cattle exports, agriculture science centres.
7. Digital and Space Collaboration: International Lunar Research Station, high-tech projects, digital currency cooperation.
8. Media and Cultural Exchange: Broadcasting cooperation, cooperation with China Media Group, People’s Daily.
9. Tourism and Sports: Cooperation agreements in tourism and sports.
10. Quality and Standards: Conformity assessment, quality testing laboratory.
11. Energy: Strategic energy project cooperation with China National Petroleum Corporation.

Kazakh-Chinese Business Council

• Kazakh and Chinese business leaders signed over 40 agreements worth $3.7 billion on the sidelines of the Kazakh-Chinese Business Council on July 2.
• The event gathered around 500 business representatives, including over 50 major Chinese companies.
• The Samruk-Kazyna Sovereign Wealth Fund signed 16 agreements with Chinese partners, including those on the production of wind components, investment in the construction of a container hub at the Aktau seaport, and the development of e-commerce.
• The Astana Akimat (administration), Bazis-A construction company, and the Shenzhen Energy Environmental Engineering and China State Construction Engineering Corporation agreed to construct a waste incineration plant to generate electricity.
• Kazakh and Chinese business leaders also plan to launch the Qostanay Grain Industry plant for deep wheat processing in the Kostanai Region in 2027.

Key statistics on Kazakh-Chinese relations

• Last year, mutual trade exceeded $41 billion, which is a record figure. Currently, 45 joint investment projects totalling $14.5 billion are being implemented in the fields of industry, energy, transport and transit, green economy, agriculture and other areas.
• In January-March 2024, trade turnover hit $6.3 billion.
• China traditionally occupies a leading position in terms of investment in the economy of Kazakhstan, which over the past 15 years has reached $24 billion.
• In 2023, Chinese investments in the Kazakh economy grew by 16%, reaching $1.8 billion. There is mutual interest in increasing this figure further.
• At the end of 2023, the export of agricultural products from Kazakhstan to China doubled, reaching $1 billion. There is potential to increase grain exports to 2 million tonnes.
• Freight volumes along the railway between Kazakhstan and China increased by 22%, reaching 28 million tonnes by the end of 2023.