In a move to strengthen regional economic ties, Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi announced that China and Kazakhstan are exploring more ambitious trade goals. Speaking at a joint press conference with Kazakh Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Murat Nurtleu on Monday in Astana, Wang emphasized the deepening cooperation between the two nations.
“So far, 26 of the 45 production capacity cooperation projects established by China and Kazakhstan have been completed, involving metallurgy and minerals, energy resources, machinery manufacturing, building materials and chemicals, and infrastructure construction,” Wang Yi stated. “The pace of oil and gas and nuclear energy cooperation between the two sides is also accelerating.”
The two countries have agreed to leverage their complementary advantages in industry and market to promote high-quality Belt and Road cooperation. Wang Yi highlighted plans to strengthen collaboration in traditional sectors such as economy and trade, investment, energy, connectivity, and agriculture. Additionally, he noted a commitment to advancing cooperation in emerging areas including finance, artificial intelligence, digital economy, and new energy.
“China is willing to expand imports of high-quality agricultural products from Kazakhstan,” Wang Yi remarked, underscoring China’s interest in bolstering agricultural trade ties.
The officials also agreed to enhance cooperation on China-Europe freight trains, aiming to create more convenient conditions for transit. This includes upgrading customs clearance processes and improving cargo transportation capacity at ports, providing better transportation services and favorable transit policies.
Murat Nurtleu expressed optimism about the burgeoning partnership, acknowledging the mutual benefits of the enhanced cooperation. The strengthened ties are expected to contribute significantly to regional economic development and connectivity.
Reference(s):
cgtn.com
