Kazakh-Chinese trade turnover to reach record $20bn
By Abdul Kerimkhanov
The trade turnover between Kazakhstan and China is expected to reach a new record of more than $20 billion in 2019, Chinese Ambassador to Kazakhstan Zhang Xiao has said.
He said that a number of important industrial and investment projects have also been launched between the two countries, adding that 2019 has seen tangible results in the development of Chinese-Kazakh relations.
"In 2019, First President of Kazakhstan Nursultan Nazarbayev and [Kazakh] President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev visited China. Tokayev's visit lifted the relationship to a permanent comprehensive strategic partnership. This is unprecedented," Zhang stated.
He recalled that Nazarbayev was awarded the Friendship Medal of China for his outstanding contributions to the development of Sino-Kazakh relations.
Zhang said that Kazakhstan's participation in the second China International Import Expo in Shanghai was a success.
"Contracts worth $160 million were signed, which would increase access of Kazakh products to the Chinese market," Zhang emphasized.
Touching upon the cultural ties, he noted new impetus has been injected into cultural exchanges.
The first Chinese-Kazakh film 'The Composer' gains widespread recognition in both countries. It won four awards at a recent annual award in the U.S.," he mentioned.
"We will continue high-level political dialogues on bilateral relations and on international and regional issues," Zhang noted.
He added that bilateral cooperation will focus on the development of relations between young people, think tanks, educational institutions and art groups of the two countries.
Earlier, Vice Foreign Minister of China Le Yucheng attended Kazakhstan on December 6, 2019, upon invitation the reception marking the 28th anniversary of the independence of Kazakhstan held by the Kazakh Embassy in China, and exchanged views with Kazakh Ambassador to China Gabit Koishibayev on bilateral relations and topics of common interest.
Diplomatic relations between Kazakhstan and China were established on January 3, 1992.
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Abdul Kerimkhanov is AzerNews’ staff journalist, follow him on Twitter: @AbdulKerim94
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