Kazakhstan experiences China speed

When the first phase of Astana's light rail transit system opened on May 16, Kazakh President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev took a ride on the new line and expressed thanks to the Chinese government and Chinese builders in Chinese, quoting the ancient proverb, "A journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step".

"I felt very proud," said Ji Chenglong, executive manager of the Astana light rail transit project at China Construction Sixth Engineering Bureau Co.

Ji arrived in Astana with his team in July 2023. Working through winter temperatures as low as — 40 C, they adapted materials and construction methods to local conditions and overcame the challenges of building an urban rail system in extreme cold.

The project applied Chinese standards and technologies across design, construction, equipment and operations, including fully automated self-driving trains and intelligent dispatching.

Ji said that average daily ridership has exceeded 70,000, well above the design-stage projection of 25,000. During construction, the project created more than 2,000 local jobs, while the project team conducted ongoing technical exchanges and provided on-the-job training tailored to the project's needs, he added.

"Seeing more and more residents enjoy the convenience brought by the light rail has deepened my understanding that infrastructure is not simply about steel and concrete. It is an important means of improving people's lives and promoting development," he said, adding that this is the true meaning of Belt and Road cooperation.

He said he still remembered that President Xi Jinping once said the ultimate goal of the Belt and Road Initiative is "to explore new ways for countries from near and far to achieve common development and to open up a 'path of happiness' that benefits the whole world".

The Astana light rail is a vivid example of that path taking shape in Central Asia, Ji said.

"From a light rail line to a modern city, and from engineering cooperation to closer bonds between peoples, Belt and Road cooperation is not only a path of connectivity, but also a path of common development, friendship and cooperation, and greater well-being for the people," Ji said.

Askar Umarov, head of the Central Communications Service under the Kazakh president, said he believes that Kazakhstan and China are at a critical stage of development and revitalization, and are companions on the path to modernization.

He said that China's achievements in economic development, digital transformation, technological modernization and the implementation of long-term national strategies offer practical insights for Kazakhstan.

China is an important strategic partner of Kazakhstan, and understanding the thinking behind China's policies has significance beyond academic research, he said.

"The more deeply we understand China's decision-making logic and long-term development goals, the more effectively we can improve the quality and efficiency of our cooperation," Umarov said.

Manarbek Kabaziyev, deputy chairman of the board of the Foreign Policy Research Institute of Kazakhstan's Foreign Ministry, said the next decade of Belt and Road cooperation should be evaluated not by the number of projects, but by whether they create lasting value, spur innovation and strengthen trust among countries.

Infrastructure is not an end in itself, he said, but a foundation for higher-level cooperation. Kazakhstan should build on improved connectivity to develop a future-oriented modern economy, with transportation corridors supporting not only trade but also closer industrial, investment and technological links.

Aliya Mussabekova, head of the International Security Department at the Kazakhstan Institute for Strategic Studies under the president of Kazakhstan, said bilateral economic cooperation has moved beyond traditional trade, with the focus expanding from infrastructure and resource development to manufacturing and high-tech industries.

China-Kazakhstan trade reached a record $48.7 billion in 2025, up 11 percent year-on-year, according to Chinese figures. Data from Kazakhstan's national investment promotion company shows that cumulative Chinese investment has exceeded $30 billion, with more than 8,000 Chinese-backed enterprises operating there.

Mussabekova said the two countries' development priorities also converge in digitalization and artificial intelligence. Kazakhstan has designated 2026 as its Year of Digitalization and Artificial Intelligence, while China has made digital development, technological innovation and AI national priorities, opening further opportunities in the digital economy, satellite and remote-sensing technologies and space communications.

Yet a lasting and stable strategic partnership cannot be built solely on economic indicators, she noted, saying that "long-term strength depends even more on mutual trust between the two peoples".

That trust is also being strengthened by closer people-to-people ties. A mutual visa-free agreement for ordinary passport holders took effect in November 2023, and Kazakh figures show that the number of Chinese visitors to Kazakhstan reached nearly 1 million in 2025.

Education cooperation is giving those ties a longer-term foundation. At L.N. Gumilyov Eurasian National University, a Luban Workshop jointly established with China gives students access to AI, robotics and digital manufacturing.

Gulmira Bekmanova, vice-rector for digitalization at the university, said the workshop is "not merely a laboratory or a classroom" but a practice-oriented teaching platform where students learn both advanced technologies and how to apply them to real-world problems.

"The Luban Workshop has become an important symbol of Kazakhstan-China educational cooperation," Bekmanova said. "It is through projects like this that our two countries can move forward together on the path to modernization."

zhaojia@chinadaily.com.cn