Chamber of International Commerce of Kazakhstan Held Talks with Delegation from Shaanxi Province (PRC)

On May 5, 2025, a meeting was held in Astana with a Chinese delegation from Shaanxi Province. The parties discussed preparations for the second meeting of the “China – Central Asia” Business Council, scheduled for June 17–18, 2025.

The Kazakh side was represented by Murat Karimsakov, Chairman of the Board of the Chamber of International Commerce of Kazakhstan, as well as Deputy Chairpersons of the Board of the National Chamber of Entrepreneurs “Atameken” Gulnar Bizhanova and Timur Nakhypbekov. The Chinese delegation was headed by Yao Hongjuan, Head of the Foreign Affairs Office of the Party Committee of Shaanxi Province.

The parties discussed both organizational and substantive aspects of the upcoming event. Murat Karimsakov emphasized that the forum would focus on key topics such as energy (including green energy), the agro-industrial complex, digitalization, and IT development. He highlighted the importance of B2B meetings as the core element of the business program, involving both business representatives and government officials.

The Chinese side confirmed strong interest in the forum. Yao Hongjuan reported the establishment of a working group for the preparation of the event and noted the active registration of Chinese companies. “Shaanxi Province is interested in building stable trade relations, and we have already started forming the delegation. To date, more than 50 companies from various sectors have registered to participate,” she stated.

Gulnar Bizhanova expressed interest in relocating Chinese manufacturing to Kazakhstan, highlighting the country’s geographical and logistical advantages. She identified priority sectors for cooperation, including feed processing, irrigation, livestock farming, and fodder production, and invited Chinese companies to engage in dialogue within the framework of B2B meetings.

Special attention was paid to tourism. Timur Nakhypbekov emphasized the significance of the existing visa-free regime between the countries, which creates additional opportunities for promoting tourism. He proposed organizing a meeting of tour operators from both countries during the Business Council to discuss joint programs.

The meeting marked an important step in preparing for the upcoming Business Council session and expanding economic cooperation between Kazakhstan and China.