ASTANA – President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev declared that ties between Central Asia and China have reached the level of an eternal and comprehensive strategic partnership as he addressed the second Central Asia-China summit on June 17 in Astana, reported Akorda.
“The synergy of existing opportunities will create a powerful foundation for further dynamic and mutually beneficial cooperation with China” – Tokayev. Photo credit: Akorda
According to Tokayev, the combined GDP of the Central Asian region is approaching the half-trillion-dollar mark. Intraregional trade has surpassed $10 billion over the past five years. In 2024, China accounted for nearly 40% of Central Asia’s foreign trade, totaling a record $95 billion. Kazakhstan alone contributed nearly $44 billion to this figure.
Nearly 5,000 enterprises with Chinese capital are operating in the country, and total Chinese investment in Kazakhstan has surpassed $26 billion. Tokayev emphasized the importance of establishing joint ventures with China, expanding the range of goods, and increasing exports of in-demand products.
“We place high hopes on launching high-tech fourth-stage production facilities that make high-value products. We consider cooperation in agriculture to be extremely important, including the introduction of advanced agricultural technologies and effective water-saving developments,” Tokayev said.
“We count on the participation of Chinese companies in localizing agro-industrial complex production. The Khorgos International Center for Cross-Border Cooperation is designed to give a new impetus to economic cooperation between our countries,” he added.
The President noted that, in the current geopolitical landscape, ensuring reliable and secure supply routes is a strategic imperative for all countries.
He stressed that Central Asia is becoming a key logistics hub linking the largest regions of Asia and Europe. In 2024, the total volume of cargo transportation from China through Central Asian countries exceeded 211,000 containers, representing a 12% increase. Kazakhstan accounts for 85% of all land transportation from China to Europe.
Introducing the first link of the Belt and Road Initiative, Kazakhstan advocates for its connection with the key transport corridors of Western China-Western Europe, the Trans-Caspian International Transport Route (TITR), and the North-South route.
Kazakhstan is also modernizing and digitizing its Caspian Sea ports, building cargo terminals, and establishing a production line for transport vessels to increase the attractiveness of the TITR. Tokayev proposed creating a joint cargo terminal with China at the port of Kuryk.
He named cooperation in the energy sector as a key factor in regional sustainability. Central Asia holds 20% of the world’s uranium reserves, over 17% of oil, and 7% of natural gas, alongside impressive deposits of rare earth metals.
“Given the rich, successful experience of China in nuclear energy, we are interested in developing sustainable cooperation in this strategic area. We will prepare to sign the agreement in the very near future,” Tokayev added.
Tokayev praised Chinese President Xi Jinping’s initiative to create a “community of common destiny of neighboring countries.”
He called for enhanced collaboration on security threats such as extremism, terrorism, separatism, drug trafficking, illegal arms trade, migration, and human trafficking, advocating for Central Asia to become the “epicenter of peace, sustainable security and productive interaction.”
Tokayev highly appreciated the dynamics of cultural and humanitarian cooperation, identifying the opening of joint cultural centers, the development of the creative industry and tourism as important steps in this direction.
He welcomed the launch of a new Xi’an-Almaty tourist train and proposed declaring 2026 the Year of Education and Scientific Research to stimulate humanitarian cooperation.
Tokayev also pointed to the development of a long-term strategy for the Central Asia-China format for 2026-2030.
Chinese President Xi Jinping, Kyrgyz President Sadyr Japarov, Tajik President Emomali Rahmon, Turkmen President Serdar Berdimuhamedov, and Uzbek President Shavkat Mirziyoyev also addressed the summit.
Following the event, the heads of state signed the Astana Declaration of the second Central Asia-China summit and the Treaty on Eternal Good-Neighbourliness, Friendship, and Cooperation.
