ASTANA – The Khorgos International Center for Border Cooperation will soon resume its work after years of being idle due to the COVID-19 pandemic as a relevant agreement had been reached with the Chinese side, Kazakh Prime Minister Alikhan Smailov said during his Feb. 24 working visit to the Zhetisu Region.
Alikhan Smailov pays working visit to the Zhetisu Region. Photo credit: Prime Minister’s press service. Click to see the full map.
“Khorgos should start its work soon. Now it is necessary to speed up the preparatory processes and ensure the interaction of all structures involved in the center’s activities,” Smailov said, reported the Prime Minister’s press service.
During his working trip, Smailov focused on the development of the transport, logistics, and agro-industrial potential of the region. He highlighted the country’s position as the most crucial land corridor between Asia and Europe and one of the world’s most significant transport and transit hubs.
“The Zhetisu Region has all the resources to develop the transit potential. There are two international checkpoints, Dostyk and Nur Zholy, Dostyk and Altynkol border railway stations, and international transit routes running through its territory. It is necessary to use all the region’s possibilities in the transport and logistics sector to the maximum,” he said.
According to Smailov, the construction of the second track on the Dostyk-Moiynty railway section was started on time, as cargo traffic to Europe is growing dynamically following the lifting of restrictions in China.
Smailov focused on the importance of reconstructing the runway at the Usharal airport, which made it possible to receive wide-body aircraft. According to him, the ongoing modernization effort of roads and the launch of additional trains will significantly impact the development of the tourist areas of Alakol and Balkhash lakes.
