Kazakhstan and China signed more than 20 documents, including on energy, transport and visa-free regime

During his state visit President of Kazakhstan Kassym-Jomart Tokayev and Chinese President Xi Jinping held summit talks on Wednesday, 17 May 2023.

During the talks, the sides discussed the development of comprehensive cooperation in trade and economic, oil and gas, petrochemical, energy, finance, transport and transit, education and science. The sides also exchanged views on issues of the international and regional agenda, the press service of the President of Kazakhstan reports.

Following the talks, Tokayev and Xi signed a joint statement. 22 documents, including agreement on the development of the Trans-Caspian Transport Corridor and visa-free regime were inked:

Joint statement of the Heads of State of the Republic of Kazakhstan and the People’s Republic of China;
Memorandum on the development of the Trans-Caspian International Transport Route;
Memorandum of Understanding between the Government of the Republic of Kazakhstan and the Government of the People’s Republic of China on technical and economic cooperation;
Plan of cooperation in the field of industrialization and investment between the Government of the Republic of Kazakhstan and the Government of the People’s Republic of China;
Agreement between the Government of the Republic of Kazakhstan and the Government of the People’s Republic of China on mutual exemption from visa requirements;
Agreement between the Government of the Republic of Kazakhstan and the Government of the People’s Republic of China on International road transport;
Protocol between the Ministry of Agriculture of the Republic of Kazakhstan and the Main Customs Administration of the People’s Republic of China on sanitary and phytosanitary requirements for export shipments of sunflower, safflower, soy and flax meal from the Republic of Kazakhstan to the People’s Republic of China;
Protocol between the Ministry of Agriculture of the Republic of Kazakhstan and the General Customs Administration of the People’s Republic of China on inspection and quarantine requirements for peas and edible Lentils exported from the Republic of Kazakhstan to the People’s Republic of China;
Protocol between the Ministry of Agriculture of the Republic of Kazakhstan and the General Customs Administration of the People’s Republic of China on the export of water products from the Republic of Kazakhstan to the People’s Republic of China;
Memorandum of Understanding between the Ministry of Industry and Infrastructure Development of the Republic of Kazakhstan and the State Committee for Development and Reforms of the People’s Republic of China on preliminary consideration of the joint implementation of the third cross-border railway between Kazakhstan and China;
Memorandum of Intent on the establishment of cultural centers between the Ministry of Culture and Sports of the Republic of Kazakhstan and the Ministry of Culture and Tourism of the People’s Republic of China;
Memorandum between the Ministry of Trade and Integration of the Republic of Kazakhstan and the Ministry of Commerce of the People’s Republic of China on mutual understanding in the field of trade and economic research;
Memorandum of Understanding between the Kazakhstan Institute of Standardization and Metrology and the Standardization Department of the People’s Republic of China;
Agreement between the Akimat of the East Kazakhstan Region of the Republic of Kazakhstan and the People’s Government of Tianjin of the People’s Republic of China on the establishment of the “Lu Ban Workshop”;
Agreement on the establishment of twinning relations between Shymkent of the Republic of Kazakhstan and Xi’an of the People’s Republic of China;
Agreement on the establishment of twinning relations between the North Kazakhstan Region of the Republic of Kazakhstan and Shaanxi Province of the People’s Republic of China;
Agreement between Al-Farabi Kazakh National University and Xi’an North-Western Polytechnic University on the opening of a branch at KazNU;
Memorandum between the Ministry of Energy of the Republic of Kazakhstan and the State Administration for Energy Affairs of the People’s Republic of China on cooperation in the field of energy;
Framework Agreement on the expansion of Kazakh-Chinese strategic Energy Cooperation between the Ministry of Energy of the Republic of Kazakhstan and the China National Oil and Gas Corporation;
Memorandum between the Committee of Technical Regulation and Metrology of the Republic of Kazakhstan and the Standardization Department of the People’s Republic of China;
Memorandum of Cooperation between JSC “Agency “Khabar” and the Media Corporation of China (CMG);
Agreement between Al-Farabi Kazakh National University and Chinese Petroleum University on establishing cooperation;
Cooperation agreement between the Kazakh Agrotechnical University named after S. Seifullin and the Chinese Northwestern University of Agriculture and Forestry.

Joint statement of China and Kazakhstan – key points

The Xinhua News Agency has published the full text of the Joint Statement of the People’s Republic of China and the Republic of Kazakhstan.

http://russian.people.com.cn/n3/2023/0518/c31521-20020205.html

Main points of the statement:

The sides emphasize the importance of maintaining political security, resist the interference of external forces in the internal affairs of the two states, the politicization of human rights issues and the use of double standards, and are ready to strengthen cooperation to prevent “color revolutions”.
The Kazakh side firmly supports the principle of “one China” and confirms that the Government China is the only legitimate Government representing the whole of China, and Taiwan is an integral part of the territory of China.
The parties confirmed their focus on further strengthening regional connectivity, deepening practical cooperation in various fields under the BRI.
The parties highly appreciate the historical record growth of bilateral trade turnover in 2022.
The parties support the enterprises of their countries in investing the other party for economic development
The parties agreed to take measures to ensure the long-term, safe and uninterrupted operation of the China-Kazakhstan oil pipeline and the China-Central Asia gas pipeline, continue to deepen cooperation in the field of oil, natural gas, natural uranium, etc., actively expand cooperation in the field of wind power, photovoltaics, photothermal, nuclear power and other sources of alternative energy.
The parties are ready to deepen practical cooperation in the field of rail transportation on the China-Europe route and the Trans-Caspian International Transport Route, to promote multimodal overland transportation.
The parties agreed to provide comprehensive support in the further involvement of Chinese financial structures specializing in financial services, asset management, etc. in the activities of the AIFC.
The Heads of State declared 2024 the Year of Kazakhstan’s Tourism in China.
The parties are ready to accelerate the joint creation of the “Lu Ban Workshop” in Kazakhstan.
The parties are ready to actively promote the work on draft Agreement on Water Allocation on Transboundary Rivers.
The parties strongly oppose the politicization of the COVID-19 epidemic and the root causes of the virus.
Expressing concern about the unstable international situation, the parties reaffirmed their commitment to consistently promote the leading coordinating role of the UN and its specialized agencies in ensuring international security and sustainable development.

The Chinese side supports Kazakhstan’s chairmanship in the SCO and is ready to contribute to its successful holding in 2023-2024 in order to jointly bring cooperation in various fields within the Organization to a new level.
The parties support and encourage cooperation between biological and scientific research institutions of the two countries.
The Chinese side stressed the relevance of the initiative of the President of Kazakhstan Tokayev to create an International Agency for Biological Safety. Kazakhstan supports the “Tianjin Guidelines on the Code of Conduct for Scientists in the Field of Biosafety” initiated by China. ///nCa, 18 May 2023 [photo credit – MFA China]