Economy and Belt and Road Initiative: Kazakhstan and China

The Middle Corridor is a part of China Belt and Road Initiative. With the operationalization and potential expansion of the MC, trade volumes between Kazakhstan and China are still very important. The MC provides an alternative route for trade between China and Europe, bypassing traditional routes through Russia. China’s geoeconomic role has been growing steadily over the past three decades. The latest development when the presidents of Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, Kyrgyzstan, Turkmenistan and Tajikistan, as well as Chinese President Xi Jinping, signed numerous agreements on bilateral cooperation was the first face-to-face forum in Xian, China-Central Asia on 18 and 19 May 2023. Kazakhstan’s reliance on trade routes through Russia may decrease as the MC offers a more diversified and potentially more reliable option. This diversification could lead to a shift in Kazakhstan’s trade patterns, with a greater proportion of goods being transported through the MC.