The Shanghai International Import Expo is in its eighth year, bringing together major players in global trade. This year, representatives from 155 countries and over 4,100 foreign companies are participating, with over 449,000 professional visitors. This year, over 100 Kazakhstani manufacturers are participating, a record number for the country's participation in the CIIE.

"For Kazakhstan, participation in the Shanghai Expo has long been a strategic priority. This platform opens up new export opportunities for domestic producers and serves as a gateway not only to China but also to other global markets," noted Minister of Trade and Integration Arman Shakkaliyev.

"The Shanghai Expo is taking on particular significance amid changes in China's economic policy. The country is focusing on developing domestic consumption through imports, stimulating the influx of high-quality goods from around the world. The Chinese government's official roadmap this year places particular emphasis on developing trade with developing countries, including Central Asia," the minister added.

By participating in the Shanghai Expo, Kazakh companies not only sign export contracts but also gain access to the world's largest consumer market. Over the past five years, mutual trade has nearly doubled, reaching $30.2 billion by 2024. Kazakh exports to China have doubled.

According to QazTrade, the total volume of contracts signed by Kazakh companies during their participation in the Shanghai Expo in recent years has exceeded $306.5 million. In 2023–2024 alone, dozens of agreements were signed for the supply of oil and fat products, meat, vegetable oils, dried camel milk, juices, and purees. This year, new long-term contracts for the supply of agricultural and food products to China, Southeast Asia, and the Persian Gulf are expected to be signed.

Also during the exhibition, a Memorandum of Understanding was signed between QazTrade and the Shenzhen-based Chinese company Optimize Integration Group. The document aims to develop digital trade between Kazakhstan and China, create online platforms and digital tools for product promotion, and accelerate export processes. The parties agreed to jointly promote Kazakh food and agricultural products on the Chinese market, develop modern technologies and logistics, and improve mutual settlement conditions. OIG Group is one of the largest and most technologically advanced players in the food import sector in China. The company is among the country's top 500 largest enterprises, works with 31,000 suppliers worldwide, and has 15 offices in China and 11 representative offices abroad. OIG's platform handles 18% of all frozen food imported into China. This represents one in seven beef steaks, one in six chicken breasts, and one in five shrimp in the Chinese market.

"The Ministry of Trade and Integration is creating conditions for small and medium-sized businesses to enter international markets and integrate into global value chains. We are promoting Kazakhstani products in China using a regionalization approach—opening pavilions, representative offices, and trading houses in different provinces. Partner offices are already operating in Urumqi and Nanjing. Following the exhibition, new agreements were reached to expand the geographic presence of Kazakhstani companies. Today, Kazakhstan is represented at all four venues: the national pavilion, the All-China Federation of Cooperatives (China Co-Op), and the Jiangsu SOHO venue. This year, for the first time, Almaty presented its own pavilion. Thanks to this comprehensive approach, we attracted a record number of manufacturers this year," noted Arman Shakkaliyev, Minister of Trade and Integration of the Republic of Kazakhstan.

The joint program with China includes acceleration programs to adapt products to the requirements of the Chinese market, including packaging, branding, and promotion. An educational program for cooperative entrepreneurs is also being implemented, where they will receive training on product certification and the specifics of entering the Chinese market.

Source : https://www.gov.kz/memleket/entities/mti/press/news/details/1099992?lang=kk