Serik Zhumangarin: ICBC Khorgos will develop due to trade, economic and tourism potential

On November 12, 2022, Deputy Prime Minister - Minister of Trade and Integration Serik Zhumangarin visited the International Center for Cross–Border Cooperation "Khorgos". The Deputy Prime Minister studied the condition and got acquainted with the activities of facilities located on the territory of the Khorgos hub: the Nur Zholy customs checkpoint, the production zone of the Khorgos-Eastern Gate SEZ, baggage and logistics terminals, construction sites of shopping and cultural centers of the International Center for Cross-Border Cooperation (ICBC) Khorgos.

ICBC "Khorgos" is a complex of trade, economic, investment cooperation, tourism development. It consists of Kazakh and Chinese parts located on the border territories of the Republic of Kazakhstan and the People's Republic of China. In 2017, the territory of the Kazakh part of the ICBC "Khorgos" was granted the status of a special economic zone (SEZ). In June 2019, a management company was established, after which investors of the FEZ "ICBC "Khorgos" had the opportunity to become its participants and enjoy the benefits provided.

"We will build the development strategy of the Khorgos International Center on increasing the trade, economic and tourism potential," Serik Zhumangarin said. – There are worthy projects from investors, for example, a city of artisans, an ethnocultural complex, the construction of comfortable hotels and restaurants. On the basis of ICBC, we must create conditions for the development of e-commerce, the export of Kazakhstani services and goods, and bilateral trade. To do this, it is necessary to conduct an audit of all facilities, negotiate with investors, create a unified planning architecture, resolve issues with infrastructure, luggage compartment, so that people can freely check in and receive luggage at entry and exit. The entire production and transport and logistics part associated with heavy trucks should be concentrated on the territory of the FEZ "Khorgos-Eastern Gate".

The investment project "City of Artisans" has been implemented on the territory of the FEZ "ICPS "Khorgos" since 2017 on a land plot of 3.8 hectares. The investment amount is 10 billion tenge, the building area is 20,000 sq. m, provides for the creation of more than 450 jobs. Represents the organization of artisans' premises and exhibition pavilions. It will contribute to the popularization and development of handicraft activities in Kazakhstan.

"The Nomad Ethnocultural Complex is a project that will recreate the images of ancient nomad cities located along the Silk Road. It will provide an opportunity to introduce guests to the customs, culture, and art of the peoples who inhabited Kazakhstan.

Also, on the territory of the ICBC "Khorgos", on the basis of the buildings of the former customs post "Zharkent", it is planned to create an exhibition center "Kazakhstan". Kazakhstani enterprises of the leading sectors of the country's economy will be involved in creating expositions. With the help of new technologies, exhibits reflecting natural, cultural, architectural, historical objects of Kazakhstan will be created.

For the development of e-commerce in 2019, a bonded warehouse was created on the territory of the ICBC, which allows providing services for receiving, storing and further sending goods in the form of mail to the EU, USA, Brazil, except for the countries of the Eurasian Economic Union. From November 2019 to January 2020, commercial goods were shipped to the countries of the European Union, the USA and Canada weighing more than 30 tons. Due to the closure of the PRC border due to the pandemic in January 2020, the activities of the bonded warehouse were suspended.
The resumption of the service will contribute to the improvement and improvement of the logistics infrastructure, create a favorable climate for attracting investment, simplify customs clearance and enable the transit of international mail.