President Tokayev meets China’s Xi in Beijing  

President Kasymzhomart Tokayev on Tuesday held talks in Beijing with his Chinese counterpart Xi Jinping. 

Tokayev said, at the meeting, that China was “confidently approaching its high goal – to become a leading world power”, according to the president’s press office. 

He also said that Kazakhstan and China had “colossal potential to raise bilateral relations to a new level”. 

Xi, in his turn, said that “China and Kazakhstan will adhere to their aspirations and help one another irrespective of changes in the international situation”.

He described Kazakh-Chinese relations as “eternal all-round strategic partnership”.

The Kazakh and Chinese sides signed several accords, including on developing the Transcaspian international transport route, particularly its use for container shipments from China to Europe. 

Another accord was on building a railway line from the ethnic Kazakh-populated city of Tacheng in northwestern China’s Xinjiang region to the city of Ayagoz in western Kazakhstan. 

China has been steadily increasing its economic presence in Central Asia since the Soviet collapse, investing mainly in the energy, transport and mining sectors.

The weakening of Russia’s clout, following its invasion of Ukraine, is giving China a chance to position itself as the main geopolitical player in the region. 

Tokayev is in Beijing for the Belt and Road Forum, which is gathering leaders and senior politicians from 140 countries. 

The forum on 17-18 October is being held to mark the 10th anniversary of the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) – a huge infrastructure project designed to facilitate China’s trade with the rest of the world. 

Russian President Vladimir Putin is also attending, making his second foreign trip this year. Last week he was in Bishkek for a summit of the Commonwealth of Independent States.  

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