On 23 May, the Ministry of Digital Development, Innovation and Aerospace Industry of Kazakhstan hosted the first meeting of the Subcommittee on Innovative Cooperation of the Kazakh-Chinese Intergovernmental Cooperation Committee.

During the meeting in Astana, Kazakhstan’s First Vice Minister of Digital Development, Innovation and Aerospace Industry Kanysh Tuleushin, and Deputy Minister of Science and Technology of China Chen Jiachang discussed their respective countries’ cooperation in developing the 5G network, aerospace industry, and e-commerce.

The subcommittee agreed to expand cooperation in the implementation of joint scientific and innovative projects in space research, the use of microsatellites, monitoring agriculture and natural disasters using remote sensing, digitalization of the agricultural sector, and seismic monitoring.

An agreement was also reached on training young talent in the field of innovation, including short-term internships and joint scientific projects.

The co-chairs of the subcommittee pledged to exchange information on current developments in scientific and technological innovations in China and Kazakhstan.

On May 23, Minister of Industry and Construction of Kazakhstan Kanat Sharlapaev participated in the 10th meeting of the Kazakh-Korean Intergovernmental Commission on Trade, Economic, Scientific and Technical Cooperation.

Regarding the strength of economic ties between Kazakhstan and South Korea in industrial cooperation, Sharlapaev reported that the current implementation of 15 joint investment projects worth $854.4 million will create over 4.7 thousand jobs.

To date, seven projects involving the production of buses, trucks, and elevators have been launched in Kazakhstan, costing $188.9 million and creating over 2.7 thousand jobs.

In 2023, with the participation of Korean companies including Daewoo Bus Global Corporation, Hyundai, KIA, and the Youngsan Glonet Corporation, the output of Kazakhstan’s electrical engineering and automobile industries reached $8.4 billion.

In the same year, 34.1 thousand tons of ferroalloys worth $55.4 million were exported to the Republic of Korea. A joint project between Mineral Product International and SIMPAC Group is now underway to produce ferroalloys in Kazakhstan’s Pavlodar region.

The minister confirmed his country’s readiness to cooperate with Korea in the energy sector by urging Korean companies to support the modernization and construction of new power plants in Kazakhstan.

Finishing on an optimistic note, Sharlapaev announced, “Kazakhstan sees great prospects for the further development of cooperation with the Republic of Korea in all directions.”

On 23 May, Kazakhstan President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev’s made his first state visit to Singapore to engage in meetings with Singaporean President Tharman Shanmugaratnam focusing on connectivity, critical raw materials, and economic cooperation.

Over 140 Singaporean companies and joint ventures currently operate in Kazakhstan. The country has invested over $1.7 billion in the Kazakh economy and bilateral trade is forecast to exceed $2 billion.

Tokayev hailed Singapore as a time-tested and reliable partner of Kazakhstan and in talks with Singapore Prime Minister Lawrence Wong, expressed confidence that his visit would strengthen bilateral relations.

Citing the complementary nature of their countries’ economies, Lawrence Wong stated that Singapore can provide a gateway to further Kazakhstan’s interaction with ASEAN countries and in turn, Kazakhstan can facilitate Singapore’s rapprochement with Central Asian countries.

Regarding economic and investment cooperation, the parties reaffirmed their mutual commitment to expanding joint ventures in green energy, transport and logistics, digitalization, finance, agribusiness, connectivity, e-commerce, and mining and processing of critical minerals.

President Tokayev and Prime Minister Wong welcomed the implementation of Alatau City (G4 City); a thousand-kilometer Special Economic Zone to be developed by Kazakhstan with support from Singaporean company Surbana Jurong in the region of Almaty.

Tokayev expressed his gratitude to the Singaporean company for developing the comprehensive master plan for the project which he described as a catalyst for boosting both his country’s economy and that of Central Asia.

Tokayev and Wong also commended the partnership between Singapore’s PSA International and Kazakhstan’s national railways company Kazakhstan Temir Zholy (KTZ) aimed at increasing the potential of the Trans-Caspian International Transport Route (TITR).

A Memorandum was signed by KTZ and PSA to further develop Kazakhstan’s transport and transit potential and an agreement made to increase the volume of cargo transit through Kazakhstan by means of a synergy of their assets in China. Today, KTZ operates railway terminals in China in the dry port of Xi’an and the seaport of Lianyungang. Assets held by PSA include marine terminals in six ports and railway terminals in 13 cities in China.

Speaking at the Kazakhstan-Singapore Business Forum later in the day, Tokayev emphasized that because it offers “the shortest and most sustainable route from Central and East Asia to Europe,” TITR has the potential to radically enhance Eurasian cooperation.

The Kazakh president outlined promising areas of cooperation between the two countries, and announcing Kazakhstan’s readiness to supply critical raw materials and natural resources to Singapore, stated: “Considering that global demand for rare metals will quadruple by 2040, Kazakhstan, which has approximately 5,000 unexplored deposits, can become a reliable partner for the joint development of this potential. We have high hopes for long-term cooperation with the Indorama company, which is interested in exploring copper and phosphate deposits in Kazakhstan.”

Tokayev also called on Singaporean companies to expand partnerships in the production of clean energy and the transfer of technology and expertise.