Kassym-Jomart K. Tokayev arrived in China and participated in this summit. Kazakhstan is not only a neighboring country of China but also an important partner in regional cooperation among the Central Asian states. Kazakhstan plays a key role in Central Asia and occupies an important place in the region’s political and economic development. It pursues a multivector foreign policy and is an active participant in international organizations such as the United Nations (UN), the International Monetary Fund, the World Bank, the Commonwealth of Independent States, and the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO), as noted by Choi, D. et al. (2019). China attaches great importance to Kazakhstan in many respects.
A few days ago, Kazakh President Tokayev wrote an article titled “Strong Kazakh-Sino Ties Key to Successful Cooperation,” which was published by China Daily, one of China’s most renowned newspapers, as explained in an article by Botagoz Unbayeva published by EUReflect.
In this text, President Tokayev emphasized that China and Kazakhstan maintain long-standing friendly relations, and that this friendship has evolved into a partnership with strong ties and a model of strategic cooperation.
As President Tokayev underlined, one of the strongest links between China and Kazakhstan comes from the fact that these two large neighboring countries share 1,700 kilometers of a peaceful and friendly border. The proximity between Kazakhstan and China is visible at several levels, particularly through regular high-level visits and close political dialogue.
History of Cooperation
China and Kazakhstan officially established diplomatic relations in January 1992. They upgraded their bilateral relations to a strategic partnership in July 2005, again in June 2011, and signed a “Combination to Further Deepen the Comprehensive Strategic Partnership” in September 2013.
In 2017, total trade volume between China and Kazakhstan reached USD 18 billion, a year-on-year growth of 37.4%, according to Liu, X., Chen, Y., & Wang, X. (2020). Since September 2019, China-Kazakhstan relations have been elevated to a permanent comprehensive strategic partnership.
For example, in March 2019, First Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Finance of Kazakhstan Alikhan Smailov visited China and, together with Vice Premier Han Zheng, chaired the ninth meeting of the China-Kazakhstan Cooperation Committee. Bilateral trade turnover between China and Kazakhstan increased from USD 28.59 billion in 2013 to USD 41 billion in 2023, with trade volume continuously expanding (Administration of Customs of the PRC), according to Du, B. et al. (2024).
Economic Cooperation
Economically, the two countries are actively implementing a docking strategy, striving to improve trade structure, expand investment and financial cooperation, and tap transit potential (Yermekbayev et al., 2022). Both China and Kazakhstan are experiencing rapid economic growth and possess vast development potential
As Yermekbayev et al. (2022) note, Kazakhstan’s obvious advantage in cooperating with China lies in its role as a communication hub between China and the Western world, establishing transport and logistics links as a main artery of international trade.
In 2024, bilateral trade between China and Kazakhstan reached a historic high of USD 44 billion, solidifying China’s status as Kazakhstan’s largest trade and economic partner. The top export destinations of Kazakhstan are: PRC (USD 5.53B), Russia (USD 4.66B), the Netherlands (USD 3.55B), France (USD 3.01B), and Italy (USD 2.93B).
On this issue, Tokayev wrote:
“Since 2005, Chinese enterprises have invested over $27 billion in Kazakhstan, with nearly 6,000 companies operating in our country today — playing a vital role in technological advancement and industrial modernization.”
China’s investment in Kazakhstan is mainly concentrated in oil exploration and extraction, gas stations, networking, and agricultural product processing (Duan, Y., 2021).
President Tokayev also stressed that the destinies of Kazakhstan and China have been interconnected for centuries, as both were linked by the ancient Silk Road, which they are now jointly working to revive. Indeed, the Belt and Road Initiative, the Trans-Caspian International Transport Route (Middle Corridor), will not only bring China and Kazakhstan closer but also enhance Kazakhstan’s role as a Eurasian transit hub.
Yermekbayev et al. (2022) noted:
“It is worth noting that bilateral relations have grown from cross-border trade in Xinjiang to the strategic partnership of the ‘One Belt, One Road,’ which has benefited both China and Kazakhstan.”
Chinese-Kazakh cooperation today covers various fields such as politics, economics, security, culture, and international relations.
Furthermore, China has a large market demand for Kazakhstan’s mineral deposits, particularly oil and natural gas. Kazakhstan’s oil and energy resources are crucial for China’s consumer market of over one billion people (Yermekbayev et al., 2022). Kazakhstan is among the world’s largest producers of fossil resources, with approximately 30 billion barrels of crude oil and 2.7 trillion cubic meters of natural gas reserves. In 2023, China imported 6.41 million tons of crude oil from Kazakhstan. That same year, Kazakhstan exported 5.8 billion m³ of natural gas worth USD 1.43 billion to China (Bureau of National Statistics of the Republic of Kazakhstan, 2024).
Cooperation in Transport
Kazakhstan and China are developing transportation infrastructure and increasing transit and logistics capabilities. Some Kazakh projects are being implemented through the Silk Road regional project, together with Kazakhstan’s “Nurly Zhol” plan — a USD 9 billion domestic stimulus program (2014–2019) aimed at modernizing roads, railways, ports, IT infrastructure, education, and public services (Svetlana, G., 2020).
President Tokayev noted:
“In 2024, the launch of additional Dostyk-Moyynty railway lines will boost Kazakhstan’s transit capacity along the China-Europe corridor fivefold. Last year, we also inaugurated a trade and logistics center in Xi’an together with our Chinese partners, further strengthening our connectivity.”
Kazakhstan has become a geographical “link” connecting the CIS in the north, China in the east, and the Indian Ocean in the south (Yermekbayev et al., 2022).
Tokayev added:
“Maritime cooperation is equally important. The completion of a container hub at Kazakhstan’s Aktau port, in partnership with China’s Lianyungang port, has created a container fleet serving Central Asia and the Caspian region, offering a full range of logistics services.”
By deepening cooperation with Kazakhstan, the Silk Road Economic Belt can further integrate with the Eurasian Economic Union, promote the construction of the China-Central Asia-West Asia Economic Corridor, and the Second Eurasian Land Bridge.
Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO)
Kazakhstan has played a pivotal role in the SCO since its inception. As a founding member, its perspectives provide valuable insights into the organization’s growth, evolution, and mechanisms for regional and extra-regional cooperation (The Europe Today). Former President Nursultan Nazarbayev directly participated in initiating and establishing the Organization.
Kazakhstan highly values the SCO’s role in strengthening international security and regional cooperation (Astana Times).
On September 2025, Kazakh President Tokayev took part in the meeting of the SCO Council of Heads of State (Kazinform citing Akorda). He emphasized that the SCO has rightfully earned recognition as an effective and influential international organization.
Tokayev stated:
“Kazakhstan fully supports the SCO’s core goals: an equitable multipolar world order, security and stability, non-interference in internal affairs, recognition of sovereign development, fair international trade, and mutually beneficial investment cooperation. The Organization’s priorities serve the noble purpose of ensuring prosperity, security, and sustainable development for our peoples in the new technological era.”
It is worth recalling that the Astana Summit of the SCO in 2017 opened a new chapter in the Organization’s development. Since its creation, Kazakh diplomacy has advanced many original ideas, projects, documents, and programs within its framework.
In his article, President Tokayev also wrote:
“Diplomatically, Kazakhstan and China remain strongly engaged in the Shanghai Cooperation Organization. The SCO has become a cornerstone of multilateral cooperation in Eurasia, fostering stability, economic growth, and cultural exchange. As founding members, Kazakhstan and China have worked together to unlock the SCO’s potential across its comprehensive regional prosperity agenda.”
This year, China hosted the 25th anniversary summit of the SCO — the largest in its history. A year earlier, a similar high-level meeting took place in Astana. In July 2024, Kazakhstan hosted the 24th SCO summit under the theme “Strengthening Multilateral Dialogue — Striving for Sustainable Peace and Prosperity.” As part of its rotating chairmanship, Kazakhstan organized more than 140 events in various fields (Kazinform).
A historic moment of the Astana summit was the first-ever meeting in the “SCO Plus” format, with the participation of UN Secretary-General António Guterres and several invited heads of state and regional organizations (Kazinform).
In his remarks, Guterres highly praised Kazakhstan’s role in the SCO, the UN, and in promoting peace and stability.
Conclusion
China and Kazakhstan are long-term partners whose economic relations have reached a new level of strategic partnership. The “One Belt, One Road” initiative creates new opportunities for bilateral economic development and for the entire Central Asian region.
Relations between China and Kazakhstan can truly be called strategic. Kazakhstan is an essential passage for China to the CIS countries, the gateway of the Chinese Silk Road, and the main transport corridor linking Europe. Kazakhstan will continue to play a central role in the economic strategy of the People’s Republic of China.
Kazakhstan and China are also key partners in regional cooperation, especially in the oil and gas trade. As one of the world’s largest producers of oil and gas, Kazakhstan’s energy sector is a cornerstone of its economy, while China remains the fastest-growing energy consumer.
For Kazakhstan, located in the heart of Eurasia with no access to the sea, China’s transcontinental initiatives offer new prospects and opportunities. By developing its transit potential, Kazakhstan aims to consolidate its geoeconomic niche and become a major bridge between the growth poles of Asia, Europe, and the Middle East.
BIBLIOGRAPHY
Choi, D., Chung, C. Y., & Young, J. (2019). Are economic distance and geographic remoteness important in sustainable trade? Evidence from the bilateral trade between China and Kazakhstan. Sustainability, 11(21), 6068.
Duan, Y. (2021, March). Bilateral trade between China and Kazakhstan: challenges and opportunities in the context of Belt and Road Initiative. In 6th International Conference on Financial Innovation and Economic Development (ICFIED 2021) (pp. 162-166). Atlantis Press.
Du, B., Juman, J., Makulova, A. T., Khamzayeva, A. V., & Zhai, X. (2024). Analysis of the Competitiveness, Complementarity, and Trade Combination of Kazakhstan and China in the Oil and Gas Trade. Economies, 12(7), 182.
Liu, X., Chen, Y., & Wang, X. (2020, January). Research on China-Kazakhstan Trade under “The Belt and Road Initiative”—Based on the Perspective of Factor Endowment Theory. In 2019 International Conference on Management Science and Industrial Economy (MSIE 2019) (pp. 270-274). Atlantis Press.
Strong Kazakh-Sino ties key to successful cooperation – Opinion – Chinadaily.com.cn
Svetlana, G. (2020). China− Kazakhstan Economic Cooperation and One Belt One Road Construction. Science Review, (3 (30)), 42-49.
Yermekbayev, A., Sarybayev, M., & Suriguga, C. (2022). China-Kazakhstan strategic partnership and bilateral economic cooperation. Journal of Central Asian Studies, 85(1), 18-27.
Historian and environmental management expert on Central Asia and researcher on Central Asia post-Soviet period. Journalist for EuReporter and EuReflect and Special Director of “The Gulf Observer” for Europe and Central Asia.
