The capital of Kazakhstan hosted the "China (Jiangsu Province) – Kazakhstan" Forum on Trade and Economic Cooperation, bringing together representatives of state bodies and business circles from the two countries. The dialogue platform became an important stage in expanding the strategic partnership between the two countries. During the event, Minister of Trade and Integration of the Republic of Kazakhstan Arman Shakkaliyev and Secretary of the Party Committee of Jiangsu Province Mr. Xin Zhangxing discussed prospects for investment cooperation and officially announced the opening of the Jiangsu Province Center in Central Asia.

Today, relations between Kazakhstan and China are at an unprecedentedly high level. Thanks to the strategic course set by the heads of state, China has remained one of Kazakhstan's largest trading partners for many years. Last year, the mutual trade volume reached a record $49 billion USD. At the same time, Kazakhstan is a key partner for China in the region: our country accounts for almost 60% of China's total trade turnover with Central Asia.

"Thanks to the strategic vision of our countries' leaders, cooperation has become an important factor for sustainable economic growth and the development of regional connectivity. Today, we invite businesses from Jiangsu Province to implement joint projects in industry, agricultural processing, petrochemicals, and digital technologies. I am confident that the opening of the Jiangsu Center in Astana will be a logical continuation of our joint work and a tool for forming new production chains," noted Minister of Trade and Integration of the Republic of Kazakhstan Arman Shakkaliyev at the forum.

During the event, the Kazakh side presented the country's investment potential and invited companies from Jiangsu Province to implement joint projects, including in renewable energy, e-commerce, and the transport and logistics sector.

One of the key outcomes of the forum was the decision to expand logistics cooperation, including the implementation of a new container project at the port of Aktau, which will become part of a unified "door-to-border" logistics chain. The parties also agreed to diversify Kazakh exports: plans include increasing supplies of wheat, meat, and honey to Jiangsu. Special attention at the forum was given to Jiangsu Province – one of the world's most powerful industrial centers, whose industry accounts for 4% of the global volume. To date, companies from Jiangsu are already implementing 63 investment projects in Kazakhstan, which constitutes 47% of the province's total investment volume in Central Asian countries.

"China and Kazakhstan are close friends and reliable partners with a shared destiny. Unique strategic partnership relations have been established between us. Our economies complement each other, and I see enormous potential for doubling trade figures. We intend to develop new growth points in areas such as artificial intelligence, the 'green' economy, and e-commerce, providing reliable guarantees for bilateral investments," emphasized Secretary of the Party Committee of Jiangsu Province Mr. Xin Zhangxing.

The Jiangsu Center in Central Asia in Astana will become a unified service hub for Chinese companies, providing consulting services, exhibition activities, and support for the "Silk Road" e-commerce.

Following the forum, the parties confirmed their interest in developing investment cooperation, creating joint productions, and expanding trade and economic ties.

Source : https://www.gov.kz/memleket/entities/mti/press/news/details/1241991?lang=ru