Kazakhstan Is Diversifying  Energy and Transport, Reducing moscow’s Role in the Region

China and Kazakhstan have signed 70 commercial agreements worth more than $15 billion, covering energy, transport, metallurgy, agriculture, and high technology.

A key area of focus is the development of the Trans-Caspian International Transport Route, which connects China with Europe via Kazakhstan, the Caspian Sea, Azerbaijan, Georgia, and Turkey, bypassing russia’s territory. It is expected that in the coming years, the volume of traffic will grow to 10 million tons, compared to the current 2-3 million.

In the energy sector, the parties will involve “China Power”, “China Energy”, and “China Huadian Corporation” in the development of renewable energy capacities and the construction of a new thermal power plant, while CNPC will help modernize the Shymkent oil refinery.

In industry, there are plans to launch an automobile plant in Almaty with the Great Wall, Chery, and Changan brands and production of BYD electric buses, as well as the “Fujian Hengwang Investment” metallurgical project.

In the agricultural sector, “Dalian Group” is investing $650 million in grain processing, while “Fufeng Group” is investing  in corn processing.

The expansion of cooperation between Beijing and Astana underscores China’s growing role in Central Asia and Kazakhstan’s decreasing dependence on russian routes and energy influence.