Xi Jinping Visit to Kazakhstan a Light for Development
Major agreements signed in energy, aerospace, digitalisation, customs regulation, agriculture, e-commerce, intellectual property, health, mass media, science, tourism and communication.
Featured contributor Prof. Josef Mahoney joined CGTN America to discuss President Xi's visit to #kazakhstan and summits with Central Asian leaders and the geostrategic contexts.
A number of major agreements were signed, expanding cooperation in energy, aerospace, digitalisation, customs regulation, agriculture, e-commerce, intellectual property, health, mass media, science, tourism and communication.
They also signed agreements on investment protection and plans to construct a nuclear power plant in Kazakhstan, with reports that Astana chose to "thread the diplomatic needle" by building two, one with CNNC China Nuclear Power Engineering Co., LTD., the other with Russia's Rosatom.
President Tokayev pledged continued support for the five Confucius Institutes and two Chinese universities branch campuses in Kazakhstan, including one from Beijing Language and Culture University, where he studied in 1983-84. Tokayev is fluent in Mandarin and previously served as a diplomat in China. He's noted he regularly reads Chinese and dialogues with President Xi in Chinese.
He said ties are reaching "a new golden period," that #china was a "time-tested strategic partner," that relations have always been “distinguished by mutual understanding and goodwill,” that “the Chinese people have never harmed the Kazakh people,” and that Kazakhstan “supports China’s peace-loving initiatives and highly appreciates the key role China plays building a fair world order.”
China is Kazakhstan’s biggest trading partner and is often described as the "lynch-pin of BRI." BRI was first proposed in Kazakhstan a dozen years ago.
In addition to significant oil and gas reserves, Kazakhstan is the world's largest #uranium producer. In April, geologists announced the discovery of the "Zhana Kazakhstan" deposit, and experts now estimate Kazakhstan ranks third globally, behind China and Brazil in #rareearths.
Kazakhstan follows a multi-vector foreign policy, which some describe as "walking a tightrope" between major and regional powers, including China, Russia, the US, the EU, NATO, India, and Turkey.
Kazakhstan hosts several Russian military installations and is a member of CSTO, a Russian-led military alliance. Kazakhstan has received Russia's S-300 missile defense system and is part of Russia's air defense network. Russia also plays important roles in Kazakhstan’s energy infrastructure and uranium production.
Ties with India are growing, with direct flights between Delhi and Astana starting this year. India's offered a billion dollar loan and is pressing for a role in Kazakhstan's rare-earths sector. Meanwhile, Kazakhstan is seeking a multilateral agreement with Iran and Turkmenistan to create a trade corridor to Indian ports.
The US remains committed nominally to Obama's C5+1 diplomatic platform, but Trump's protectionism has complicated matters, likewise his policies towards others. Without question the US is considering the strategic implications of Kazakhstan’s rare-earths.