On October 16, during the first Astana Think Tank Forum, a meeting took place between the representatives of the Kazakhstan Institute for Strategic Studies under the President of the Republic of Kazakhstan and the Institute for Social Development in Europe and Asia of the Research Center of the State Council of the People’s Republic of China and the Institute of Russia, Eastern Europe and Central Asia (IREECA) of the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences.
The meeting aimed to deepen cooperation in various fields and find new points of contact, further affirming the dynamic development of Kazakh-Chinese relations. The participants discussed the results of their collaboration in the trade and economic sphere, particularly highlighting a significant increase in trade turnover and the development of transport corridors. They also focused on the successful implementation of joint projects in infrastructure, energy, and digital transformation.
A key topic was the necessity to expand cooperation in the humanitarian sphere and strengthen scientific ties. In this context, the meeting participants explored the potential for creating joint research projects and publishing research articles in leading international publications.
Director of the KazISS, Yerkin Tukumov, emphasized the ongoing transport and infrastructure transformation of a vast regional space and advancements in the technical and digital spheres.
«Kazakhstani enterprises have established cooperation with the largest Chinese e-commerce platforms. The availability of Chinese manufacturers and the speed of delivery have increased several times», – Y. Tukumov emphasized.
Director of the Institute of European and Asian Social Development of the Research Center of the State Council of the PRC Li Yongquan noted the unique atmosphere of the Forum, where representatives of various countries from different parts of the world met on one platform. The Chinese expert emphasized that it is very important the dialogue is open, honest and strategic.
The Deputy Director of the BRI Center, Head of the Central Asia Department of the IREECA, Chinese Academy of Social Sciences Zhang Ning emphasized that there is a great interest in the Chinese expert community in the reforms in Kazakhstan and the phenomenon of the New Kazakhstan, and also invited his Kazakh colleagues to take part in joint research, helping each other to deepen their understanding of the processes taking place in the two countries.
The analytical centers of the two countries are planning to sign a memorandum for the establishment of the Forum of Analytical Centers of the Republic of Kazakhstan and the People’s Republic of China. Preparatory work is currently in progress.
Following the meeting, the parties expressed confidence that Kazakh-Chinese relations have the potential for dynamic and comprehensive development, which contributes to strengthening stability and prosperity in the region.
