Kazakh PM discusses trade and economic cooperation with PRC Ambassador to Kazakhstan Han Chunlin
Prime Minister Olzhas Bektenov held a meeting with Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the People's Republic of China to Kazakhstan Han Chunlin, who started his diplomatic mission in Kazakhstan, El.kz cites primeminister.kz.
They discussed issues of trade and economic cooperation, expansion of cooperation in the field of investment, agro-industrial complex, transport and logistics, energy, cultural and humanitarian sphere, tourism and others.
The Head of the Government stressed that the basis of dynamic economic cooperation are intensive and trusting contacts between the President of Kazakhstan Kassym-Jomart Tokayev and President of China Xi Jinping.
During the talks, the parties noted the existing high level of trade and economic partnership between the two countries. At the end of 2024, bilateral trade turnover increased by 9% and reached $43.8 billion. In order to achieve the objectives set by the Heads of State to double the volume of mutual trade, the governments are working together to unlock the existing potential with a view to diversifying trade turnover. In this regard, the Kazakhstani side noted the importance of further expanding the range of products supplied, including increasing the export of Kazakhstani grain to Chinese markets by increasing the Chinese side's acceptance of grain cargoes by all types of wagons, as well as the inclusion of new Kazakhstani enterprises in the Register of Exporters to China.
In addition, the issues of realisation of joint investment projects were considered. China is among the top 5 investors of Kazakhstan. To date, 62 Kazakh-Chinese projects worth $8.7 billion have been implemented with the creation of 11,000 jobs, 55 projects worth $13.5 billion with the creation of 17,400 jobs are underway. All in all, the total pool includes 222 investment projects worth more than $60.5bn.
Attention was also paid to strengthening cooperation in the transit and transport sector. According to JSC KTZ NC, for 11 months of 2024, the volume of freight traffic between Kazakhstan and China increased by 13% to the same period of 2023 and amounted to 29.3 million tonnes. To further increase freight traffic, the importance of taking joint measures to create new and modernise existing checkpoints on the Kazakh-Chinese border, as well as the development of cross-border shipping was highlighted.
Following the meeting, the parties confirmed their intentions to strengthen partnership and enhance joint work in all key areas of bilateral cooperation.
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