Azernews.Az

By Alimat Aliyeva

The Majilis of Kazakhstan has ratified the Agreement between the Governments of Kazakhstan and China on the promotion and mutual protection of investments, AzerNEWS reports.

The document was signed on June 16, 2025, during the visit of Chinese President Xi Jinping to Astana.

According to Alibek Kuantyrov, Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs of Kazakhstan, the updated agreement replaces the previous version from 1992 and introduces more modern mechanisms for protecting investors. These include safeguards against unlawful expropriation, access to international arbitration, and clearer principles of fair and equal treatment for investors.

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Kazakhstan stated that the agreement is aimed at strengthening investment cooperation between the two countries and creating more transparent and predictable conditions for doing business.

According to official data, in 2025, direct investments from China into Kazakhstan reached $2.8 billion, which is 135% higher than the previous year. The total accumulated Chinese investment in Kazakhstan between 2005 and 2025 has reached $29.3 billion.

Meanwhile, Kazakh investments in China in 2025 amounted to $54.8 million, bringing the total since 2005 to approximately $926.9 million.

By the end of 2025, bilateral trade turnover increased by 13.2% and reached $34.1 billion.

An interesting aspect of this cooperation is that much of the investment is now focused not only on raw materials but also on transport, logistics, renewable energy, and industrial projects. Kazakhstan is increasingly positioning itself as a key transit hub in the China–Europe supply chain, especially under initiatives connected to the modern revival of the Silk Road.