ALMATY — Kazakh trade agency QazTrade and China’s Optimize Integration Group (OIG) signed a memorandum of understanding on developing digital trade and online export platforms, marking the first major agreement of Kazakhstan’s record participation at the eighth China International Import Expo (CIIE) in Shanghai.
Photo credit: Ministry of Trade and Integration
The memorandum, signed on the sidelines of the Expo, aims to develop online tools to promote Kazakh goods, improve logistics and payment systems, and boost exports of agricultural and food products to China and beyond, the Ministry of Trade and Integration’s press service reported on Nov. 6.
The agreement comes as Kazakhstan records its largest presence at the CIIE with over 100 domestic producers represented across four exhibition venues.
Minister of Trade and Integration Arman Shakkaliyev emphasized that the Expo has become a key gateway for Kazakh businesses to enter global markets.
“For Kazakhstan, participation in the Shanghai Expo has long become a strategic priority. This platform opens new export opportunities for domestic producers and serves as a gateway not only to China but also to other world markets,” he said.
Shakkaliyes highlighted that the event’s significance has grown amid China’s shift toward stimulating domestic consumption through imports.
“The exhibition gains special importance as China focuses on developing internal demand by attracting high-quality goods from developing countries, including Central Asia,” he said.
According to QazTrade, the total value of export contracts signed by Kazakh companies through the Expo has exceeded $306.5 million in recent years. In 2023–2024, agreements were concluded to supply meat, vegetable oils, camel milk powder, and juice products to China and other Asian markets.
Trade between Kazakhstan and China has doubled over the past five years, reaching $30.2 billion in 2024, with Kazakh exports doubling in the same period.
As part of the cooperation program with China, Kazakhstan plans to launch an acceleration initiative to help producers adapt their products to Chinese standards in packaging, branding, and marketing. An educational program will also train entrepreneurs in certification and export requirements for entering the Chinese market.
