Kazakhstan and China Strengthen Economic and Logistics Cooperation

Kazakh President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev and Chinese business leaders have discussed expanding bilateral cooperation, focusing on logistics, technology, and industrial investment.

Key points

• Kazakhstan has invested over $35 billion in transport and logistics infrastructure over the last 15 years.
• Bilateral trade between Kazakhstan and China reached a record $49 billion last year.
• China has invested more than $30 billion in the Kazakh economy, with over 8,500 Chinese-capital enterprises currently operating in the country.
• President Tokayev proposed a joint digital platform, Smart Cargo, to standardize and streamline Eurasian logistics.
• The new city of Alatau is being developed as a digital financial hub, utilizing the Astana International Financial Centre's regulatory framework.

Why it matters

The deepening economic and logistical integration between Kazakhstan and China is central to the development of the Middle Corridor, a critical trade route connecting China to Europe.