President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev held talks with Chinese President Xi Jinping on the sidelines of the World Artificial Intelligence Conference in Shanghai, which the Kazakh leader attended at Xi’s invitation.
Tokayev thanked Xi Jinping for the invitation and highlighted the symbolic significance of holding the meeting in Shanghai, describing the city as the “Pearl of the East.” He also congratulated the Chinese president on the 105th anniversary of the founding of the Communist Party of China.
Tokayev described Xi Jinping as a strong leader and a wise statesman of global stature, attributing China’s achievements to his visionary leadership. According to the Kazakh president, Kazakhstan is committed to further strengthening its enduring and comprehensive strategic partnership with China, noting that political dialogue between the two countries has intensified significantly in recent years.
$49 bln in bilateral trade
China remains Kazakhstan’s largest trading partner. Bilateral trade reached $49 billion last year, while cumulative Chinese investment in Kazakhstan’s economy has totaled $30 billion.
More than 8,500 Chinese companies are currently operating in Kazakhstan. The two countries are implementing major joint projects in industry, energy, gas chemicals, mechanical engineering, and agriculture.
One Million Tourists and Luban Workshops
Cultural and people-to-people ties between the two countries continue to strengthen. More than one million Chinese citizens visited Kazakhstan last year, and cultural centers have been opened in the capitals of both countries.
Tokayev also highlighted the successful operation of Luban Workshops in Kazakhstan, describing them as a symbol of friendship and mutual trust between the two peoples. He further emphasized the high level of cooperation between Kazakhstan and China on the international stage, including within the United Nations, the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO), the Conference on Interaction and Confidence-Building Measures in Asia (CICA), and the Central Asia–China format.
Welcoming the Kazakh president, Xi Jinping said the meeting provided an opportunity to discuss key issues on the bilateral agenda. He noted that the comprehensive strategic partnership between the two countries has reached a high level while still offering considerable room for further development.
Xi described Tokayev’s policy toward China as friendly and aligned with the interests of the peoples of both countries. He also praised Kazakhstan’s course of large-scale reforms, congratulated Tokayev on the adoption of the new Constitution, and wished him success in the upcoming Kurultai elections.
Roadmap 203
Following the talks, the governments of Kazakhstan and China signed a Trade and Economic Cooperation Program and Roadmap for 2027–2030. The document is intended to outline the key priorities for bilateral trade and economic cooperation over the coming years.
