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Kazakhstan and China Strengthen Strategic Partnership

On 29 March Kazakhstan’s Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs, Murat Nurtleu visited China for the first meeting concerning the establishment of the Strategic Dialogue between Kazakhstan and China. Following discussions with Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi on political, trade, economic, investment, and cultural cooperation, Minister Nurtleu reported: “We attach great importance to the development of relations with Beijing. We have established a comprehensive strategic partnership, which is being strengthened through personal friendly contacts of our leaders.” Citing the fact that in 2023, China became the Kazakhstan’s largest trading partner, with an increase in turnover of bilateral trade of over 30% to 41 billion US dollars, he emphasized the need for further promotion of joint economic, transport and logistics projects within the framework of China’s Belt and Road initiative. In turn, the Chinese Foreign Minister stated, “Kazakhstan is our authoritative strategic partner in the region” and announced that China is ready to fully strengthen and enhance cooperation with Kazakhstan. The ministers also noted that the significant intensification of cooperation between the two countries was largely due to the introduction of the mutual visa-free regime implemented in November last year.

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Uzbekistan’s Gold Mining Aims to Replace Labour Migration

Most of the country's gold, located in the regions of Navoi, Samarkand and Bukhara, cannot be extracted industrially due to low concentration and difficulties in accessing the mountainous terrain. Uzbekistan's gold reserves for artisanal mining exceed 3 tons per 590 hectares. Gold mining by artisanal miners began to gain momentum after 2019 when the authorities issued permits for excavation in specified areas and since then, year on year, the Ministry of Geology has added new sites which are available through electronic auctions. Any Uzbek resident acquiring a plot, can mine for a period of three years and sell the extracted gold to mining and metallurgical plants and licensed jewellery companies. Mining has existed in Uzbekistan for many years, but prior to 2019, much of it was illegal. The gold was often smuggled out of the country, and as a result of makeshift mines collapsing, fatalities and serious injuries were common. The legalisation of mining activity aims to help safeguard the miners and reduce the illegal export of gold from the country. Moreover, by providing jobs for residents, it will help curb labour migration. "My job consists of digging ore and taking it to the washing plant. On average, I earn $240-$315 a month; enough to feed myself," excavator driver Sardor Mardiyev told Agence France Press. Mardiyev currently works at a gold-mining site in the village of Soikechar, Nurata, in Uzbekistan's Navoi region and according to owner, Zakhid Khudaiberdiyev, the site produces an average of 12 to 15 grams of gold per day. However, while providing an economic lifeline for workers who might otherwise work abroad, independent mining is damaging the soil and holes dug by miners pose a serious risk to farmers' livestock. In addition, even small-scale mining consumes large amounts of fresh water, which is scarce in the region. Uzbekistan ranks 15th in the world in terms of gold reserves, which experts estimate to total 362 tons. Since the beginning of 2024, revenue from the gold trade has accounted for a third of Uzbekistan's total exports and in accordance to a call by President Shavkat Mirziyoyev, production is set to increase by 50 percent by 2030.

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Year of Kazakhstan Tourism in China

The Year of Kazakhstan Tourism in China was officially launched in Beijing on 28-29 March. The occasion was marked by several events including a Kazakh-Chinese forum on the development of tourism and investment, an exhibition representing Kazakhstan’s various regions, cultural activities staged in an ethno-village, and a gala concert. In his welcoming speech at the Kazakh-Chinese tourism and investment forum, Ermek Marzhikpayev, Minister of Tourism and Sports of Kazakhstan, said: “The Year of Tourism of Kazakhstan in the People's Republic of China is a landmark event that helps strengthen friendly relations between the two countries. We believe that our dialogue will give new breath and new horizons for partnership in the field of tourism, creating the basis for fruitful and long-term cooperation.” He added that Kazakhstan’s rich nomadic culture, centuries-old history, and unique natural landscape has much to offer to travellers with wide-ranging interests. Kairat Sadvakasov, chairman of Kazakh Tourism national company, likewise celebrated the launch saying, “We are convinced that Kazakhstan is one of the most attractive destinations for Chinese tourists, being not just a friendly and neighboring country with a visa-free regime, but also a strategic partner of the 'Belt and Road' Initiative. We offer tourists engagement with the concept of ‘Eco-Ethnic-Entertainment-Events’ including: ecotourism, ethno-tourism, and cultural entertainment.” China was second only to Russia in the list of countries whose citizens visited Kazakhstan in 2023. According to official statistics, over the first nine months of last year, more than 75,000 Chinese tourists stayed in Kazakh hotels, and a total of over 200,000 visitors from China visited Kazakhstan.

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Kazakhstan to Earn $1.7 Billion from Russian Oil Transit to China

The Mazhilis of the Parliament of Kazakhstan has ratified amendments to the agreement between the Governments of Kazakhstan and Russia on the transportation of Russian oil through Kazakhstan to China. The original agreement, signed on December 24, 2013, covers the period up until January 1, 2024 but both parties have now expressed their interest in its extension to 2033. According to Kazakhstan’s Energy Minister Almasadam Satkaliev, extending the agreement for a further ten years will enable the transit 10 million tons of Russian oil per year. Approval was granted for transit tariff set at $15 per ton and between 2024 and 2033, the forecast revenue from the transit of Russian oil through Kazakhstan to China is $1.710 billion. Statistics show that from 2014 to 2023, the total transit of Russian oil through Kazakhstan to China amounted to 90,899,271 tons, providing transit revenue of $1.327 billion.

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Car Seat Factory under Construction in Almaty

LLC Vehicles Almaty, LLC Motor Company Astana Motors, and LLC Youngsan Kazakhstan have collaborated in the build of a factory to manufacture car seats in Almaty. According to a report issued by the Kazakh Ministry of Industry and Construction, the factory will have the capacity to supply Kazakhstan's automobile plants with some 100,000 seats per annum and in so doing, make a significant contribution to the development of the country’s automotive industry. Excavation of the land and the erection of steels have now been completed and work has begun on the installation of wall panels. Deliveries of technological equipment for assembly and electronics testing were received on 20 March and construction is scheduled to finish this autumn/winter.

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Kazakh-Italian Project to Install New Hybrid Power Plant in Zhanaozen

On March 26 the chairman of Kazakhstan's state oil & gas company JSC KazMunayGas (KMG) Magzum Mirzaliyev met with Luca Vignati, a senior executive at the Italian oil & gas company Eni, to discuss the construction of a hybrid power plant in Zhanaozen. The parties discussed the current status of construction of a hybrid power plant in Zhanaozen, where wind (77 MW), solar energy (50 MW) and gas (120 MW) are planned to all be used in the energy mix. "We express our gratitude to Eni for fruitful cooperation and exchange of experience in the framework of this strategic energy project. We hope for further development of our cooperation in this area," said Mirzaliyev in a press release. On January 18 the parties signed an agreement in Rome for the construction of a hybrid power plant in the city of Zhanaozen, in Mangistau region. Additionally, the heads of KMG and Eni discussed drilling the first exploration well at the Abay site in the Caspian Sea -- as well as developing further stages of production at the Kashagan and Karachaganak fields, taking into account the priority to increase the production of marketable gas.