ASTANA – Kazakhstan and China announced plans to create a Khorgos Hub to increase trade between the countries, reported Kazinform on May 10. A new cluster will be located in the Zhetisu Region in the southeast of Kazakhstan.
Photo credit: Kaztag.kz. Click to see the map in full size. The map is designed by The Astana Times.
The hub will include five existing facilities on the Chinese-Kazakh border – the Khorgos – Eastern Gate special economic zone, the Khorgos Center for Border Cooperation, the Nur Zholy сheckpoint, the Altynkol railway station, and the Dry Port railway terminal.
According to the Ministry of Trade and Integration, the development of the infrastructure has already begun.
The hub is expected to increase the capacity of the Altyn-Khorgos border crossing point, which is currently at least 20 million tons of cargo per year.
The Khorgos – Eastern Gate port also has the potential for development. Becoming a part of the Khorgos Hub will increase cargo flows from China through Kazakhstan to other countries.
The Khorgos International Center for Border Cooperation resumed its work on April 24 after the COVID-19 pandemic.
Khorgos is a joint project between Kazakhstan and China implemented under the Nurly Zhol (Bright Path) economic policy, a stimulus plan to develop transport infrastructure, and China’s Belt and Road Initiative.
