"The China International Import Expo (CIIE) has become a 'golden gateway' to the vast Chinese market," remarked Kazakh President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev during his online attendance at the opening ceremony of the fourth CIIE. Gold, a primary color in Kazakhstan's national flag and emblem, holds significant symbolic meaning, highlighting the importance of the CIIE for Kazakhstan.

As the organizer of Kazakhstan country pavilion, the QazTrade - Center for Trade Policy Development is responsible for facilitating the participation of Kazakh enterprises in the CIIE. They offer comprehensive services, including company selection, product supply, negotiation arrangements, and legal compliance. The organization has gained deep insights into the CIIE.

Kazakhstan pavilion at the seventh CIIE.

FROM TESTING WATERS TO INTEGRATION

Since the inaugural CIIE, the exhibition area and number of Kazakh companies participating have steadily increased. This year, Kazakhstan's presence expanded even further. Aitmukhamed Aldazharov, General Director at QazTrade, said, "This is our first time participating in such a large-scale organized manner."

"In the initial CIIEs, our participation was more of a trial. We didn't know much about the Chinese market and were unsure if our products would appeal to Chinese consumers. The CIIE provided an excellent platform for mutual understanding." recalled Bekmukhamed Ibrayev, Head of the Trade and Economic Relations Department at QazTrade.

Thanks to the active promotion by Kazakhstan's Ministry of Trade and Integration and QazTrade, coupled with the tangible benefits the CIIE has brought to Kazakh businesses, the expo has become increasingly well-known in Kazakhstan, with its strategic value becoming evident. Aldazharov said, "The CIIE is massive, and many Kazakh companies are eager to participate. This shows that our businesses are mature enough to step onto such a high-level international platform."

REAPING "GOLDEN FRUITS"

In 2020, the Kazakh government launched the "Export Acceleration Program" to promote the country's businesses and products abroad. As a key executor of this program, the QazTrade has selected 557 outstanding enterprises, providing them with training on international trade regulations and guiding them into export markets.

"Since the signing and implementation of business contracts is a key indicator of the program's success, the CIIE has become the main and high-quality platform for the final stage of this program. Therefore, we see the CIIE as essential to the program's success," Aldazharov stated.

In China, there is a saying: "The government builds the stage, and enterprises perform." The CIIE is a super platform created by China for the world. On this platform, there is not only product exchange but also cultural and cognitive exchange. Companies from various countries collaborate, with mutual benefit and win-win outcomes as the central theme.

At the seventh CIIE, Kazakhstan's country exhibition covered 132 square meters, with the business exhibition covering 260 square meters. About 50 producers from the food and agriculture sectors participated, and contracts worth $120 million were signed during the expo, exemplifying mutual benefit and win-win outcomes.

Kazakhstan pavilion at the seventh CIIE.

Today, Kazakh companies eagerly pass through the "golden gateway" each year, reaping substantial "golden fruits".

GATHERING LIKE FRIENDS

According to data from China's General Administration of Customs, the total trade volume between China and Central Asian countries reached $94.8 billion in 2024, with Kazakhstan ranking first in trade volume with China, accounting for over 46%. "We will not stop here. Integration among Central Asian countries is also underway. The QazTrade has established joint ventures with Uzbekistan and Tajikistan. Through our cooperation with these countries and our connection with China, Central Asian trade is continuously developing," Aldazharov said. "The QazTrade has played an active role in promoting relations between Central Asia and China, acting as a bridge."

The CIIE plays a unique and important role in expanding economic and trade cooperation between China and Central Asian countries. Since the first CIIE in 2018, the five Central Asian countries have participated every year without missing a single event. The "Four-leaf Clover" showcases the rich products of the five Central Asian countries, and the fruitful cooperation results inject "CIIE momentum" into the high-quality development of the Belt and Road Initiative.

While promoting Central Asian exports to China, the QazTrade also collaborates with various Chinese provinces. "In every province, we can feel the CIIE's impact. At the CIIE, we have gathered like friends and become trade partners." Aldazharov said.

Kazakhstan's great poet and thinker Abai Kunanbayev once said, "The world is like an ocean, the times are like a strong wind, the waves in front are like elder brothers, the waves behind are like younger brothers, the wind pushes the waves behind to push the waves in front, and it has always been so through the ages." In the historical tide of deepening cooperation, the CIIE continues to rejuvenate the China-Kazakhstan relationship and China-Central Asia relations rooted in the ancient Silk Road. 

Disclaimer

The information in this article is compiled from materials provided by relevant parties participating in the CIIE and media reports,  with the CIIE Bureau objectively compiling relevant content. The CIIE Bureau does not take responsibility for disputes or losses arising from the following circumstances: deviations in expression due to outdated information updates; readers' subjective judgments or actions based on this article; unauthorized alteration or dissemination of the content by third parties.