The signing of the agreement will make it possible to start the practical implementation of the project. The launch of the Industrial Cooperation Centre will become a catalyst for further development of international trade and integration of the economic systems of the two countries and will contribute to increasing trade turnover between our countries up to 10 billion US dollars.

Minister of Trade and Integration Arman Shakkaliev held talks with Deputy Head of the General Administration of Customs of the People's Republic of China Sun Yuining in Beijing

The sides discussed the issues of expanding the nomenclature of export commodities of livestock and crop products.

In his speech Arman Shakkaliev noted that there is a high demand for a number of goods from Chinese companies and our entrepreneurs planning to export to China.

«We have held meetings with many Chinese companies that have already been to Kazakhstan more than once and are ready to buy Kazakhstani meat: beef, mutton, chicken and by-products. Negotiations on investment co-operation are underway, and large Chinese companies are ready to invest huge funds for Kazakhstan's meat production in order to further export to the Chinese market. But to create the necessary conditions, we need to remove existing restrictions and resume exports of meat products», - said Arman Shakkaliyev.

It is worth noting that the General Customs Administration of the PRC is ready to visit our country to assess the veterinary service of Kazakhstan to control diseases of foot-and-mouth disease and avian influenza.

«We are also ready to start work on harmonising requirements for the export of chilled meat products, heat-treated meat products, poultry meat and by-products, edible eggs, horse meat and other types of goods», - the head of Kazakhstan's Ministry of Trade said during the meeting.

During the negotiations, an agreement was reached to remove barriers to mutual trade. The General Administration of Customs of China expressed readiness to remove existing restrictions on the supply of heat-treated meat products from Kazakhstan.

Kazakh camel milk is in great demand in the PRC market. Chinese consumers already know the taste and quality of this product. Kazakhstan has great potential to export mare's milk. However, the PRC needs to develop an appropriate national standard to supply this product to the market, which was also noted during the negotiations.

Another important export direction is crop products. Kazakhstan is ready to send stone crops (peach, apricot, cherry) to China. A list of potential exporters of peas and lentils has been compiled.

«We are also ready to increase exports of oat flakes, beet pulp, potatoes, oat flakes and cereals, sunflower seed meal, safflower», - Arman Shakkaliyev said.

The Chinese side informed about the completion of risk assessment on avian influenza, foot and mouth disease, and in the export of fresh peaches, apricots and cherries (cherries) on the basis of materials submitted by the Kazakh side. Also on the readiness of the Chinese delegation in the evaluation of the veterinary service for the control of foot and mouth disease and avian influenza.

Following the meeting, agreements were reached on the visit of the Chinese delegation to assess the veterinary service of Kazakhstan in the current year, for this purpose, the programme of the visit will be agreed in the near future. Following the visit, the Chinese side is ready to lift the restriction and move on to discuss exports of livestock products.

In addition, the Chinese side agrees to start work in parallel to harmonise veterinary requirements for heat-treated beef, mutton and poultry meat.

Agreements were reached on the development of separate draft protocols for cherries, peaches and apricots, where the Kazakh side will send the first draft protocol for cherries to the Chinese side in November for its consideration and agreement.