Serik Zhumangarin held a meeting on preparations for the Summit of Heads of State «Central Asia–China»

Last Tuesday, Deputy Prime Minister-Minister of Trade and Integration of Kazakhstan Serik Zhumangarin, Ministers of Economy and Trade of Central Asian countries - Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan and China held an online meeting on preparations for the upcoming Summit of Heads of State «Central Asia–China». The event is planned to be held in May this year in Xi'an.

The meeting was organized on the initiative of the Chinese side. Online meetings will be held on a regular basis, which will help strengthen and promote trade and economic cooperation between the six countries.

Serik Zhumangarin noted that China is the main trading partner of both Kazakhstan and other Central Asian countries.

By the end of 2022, the trade turnover between Kazakhstan, China and the countries of Central Asia increased by 31.9% and amounted to $32.1 billion (2021 – $24.3 billion). Trade between Kazakhstan and China reached record levels, exceeding $24 billion last year. Exports of Kazakh products to China increased by more than a third and amounted to $13.2 billion. Similarly, the demand for Chinese goods in Kazakhstan is growing. Imports increased by 33.5% and amounted to $11 billion.

«The Chinese market is a reliable consumer of our products. We are ready to offer a wide range of industrial and agricultural goods for 135 additional commodity items worth over $1 billion», — Serik Zhumangarin said.

The Deputy Prime Minister noted the importance of developing e-commerce, increasing the transport connectivity of the region and consistently improving export and transit conditions, developing interregional and cross-border cooperation. S. Zhumangarin also invited investors to industrial cooperation.

Taking into account the competitive positions of the Central Asian countries, at the initial stage, Kazakhstan proposes to organize joint promotion of products, including in the Chinese market.

Following the meeting, the parties agreed to sign documents on strengthening trade and economic cooperation, interaction in the field of digital trade and in the field of infrastructure and engineering construction.