Kazakhstan and China Agree on New Infrastructure Projects at Transport Forum

Kazakhstan and China have reached a number of agreements, including the construction of a new cross-border bridge at the Maikapshagay–Zimunai checkpoint for heavy freight transport, two new road border crossings, and the launch of a passenger train between Almaty and Xi’an, Orda.kz reports.

The agreements were made during a meeting between Kazakhstan’s Minister of Transport, Marat Karabayev, and China’s Minister of Transport, Liu Wei, held as part of the first Kazakhstan–China Transport Forum, currently taking place in Astana.

The event has brought together over 300 representatives from the business and transport-logistics sectors of both countries.

According to Kazakhstan’s Ministry of Transport, the sides agreed on the following:

• To establish a multimodal transit corridor along the Russia–Kazakhstan–China route using the cross-border Irtysh River, as well as a river route along the Ili River from Qonayev (Kazakhstan) to Yining (China)
• To build a new cross-border bridge at the Maikapshagay–Zimunai checkpoint for the passage of heavy trucks
• To open a third air corridor
• To open two new road checkpoints connecting East Kazakhstan and Almaty regions with neighboring regions of China
• To launch a passenger train service between Almaty and Xi’an and to increase the number of weekly flights between the two countries to 65

A container hub is currently under construction at the Port of Aqtau in partnership with a Chinese company.

Once completed, it will increase the port’s capacity from 140,000 TEU (twenty-foot equivalent units) to 240,000 TEU. The project is expected to be completed by the end of this year.

To support the development of Kazakhstan’s maritime ports and ensure safe navigation, dredging operations will be carried out in the waters of the Port of Aqtau this year.

By the end of 2025, Kazakhstan also plans to complete construction of a second rail track on the Dostyq–Moyynty section and a bypass road at Almaty station, which will boost capacity and significantly reduce delivery times between Asia and Europe.

Original Author: Oksana Matvienko