Kazakhstan and Xinjiang Target Doubling Trade, Establishing Cooperation Council with Hong Kong
Kazakh Deputy Prime Minister Serik Zhumangarin met with Ma Xingrui, Secretary of the Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region (XUAR) Communist Party, on Dec. 6 in Urumqi to discuss efforts to double trade between Kazakhstan and XUAR. XUAR is Kazakhstan's largest trade partner among Chinese regions, accounting for nearly half of bilateral trade. In 2023, trade surged 62% to $20.3 billion, with a 22.46% increase in the first nine months of 2024.
“The leaders of Kazakhstan and China have set a goal to increase bilateral trade to US$100 billion. After analyzing the export and import potential of various goods, we identified 180 product categories worth US$1.6 billion that we could additionally supply to China, including goods from the metallurgical, petrochemical, food, chemical, and engineering industries, as well as construction materials,” said Zhumangarin.
During the meeting, Zhumangarin proposed initiatives to enhance trade, including establishing green corridors at border checkpoints for quicker agricultural product shipments and extending 24/7 operations at the Nur Zholy-Khorgos checkpoint to all border crossings. New checkpoints are also being planned at Narynkol-Muzart and Terekty-Aktobek.
Kazakhstan is working on a multimodal transit corridor connecting Russia, Kazakhstan, and China via the Yertis River, aiming for an initial freight capacity of 2-2.5 million tons. As part of broader goals, Kazakhstan plans to increase container train numbers from 600 to 2,000 by 2029 and construct a multimodal logistics terminal at Khorgos.
“For this corridor, we plan to open a fourth railway crossing at Maikapchagai-Zimunai and build a river port near the village of Tugyl in Kazakhstan. Another promising project involves developing a route from Konayev to China’s Yining along the transboundary Ili River. This initiative could be implemented through cooperation between Kazakh and Chinese businesses,” said Zhumangarin.
Zhumangarin also addressed bureaucratic barriers to agricultural exports to China, urging the resolution of phytosanitary issues and the lifting of restrictions on beef and pork exports, which could significantly boost trade between the two regions.
Photo credit: primeminister.kz
