BAKU, Azerbaijan, June 17. Today, Astana once again takes center stage in regional diplomacy as it hosts the second summit in the Central Asia-China format. The event brings together the leaders of Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, and Turkmenistan, along with Chinese President Xi Jinping.
The format was first launched in 2023 in Xi’an, China, and since then, cooperation between China and the Central Asian states has evolved from symbolic gestures to a comprehensive, multi-level partnership spanning the economy, energy, infrastructure, security, and humanitarian fields.
China and Central Asia have entered a new phase of qualitative engagement. Over the past year alone, trade between the region and China reached $95 billion, with Kazakhstan accounting for nearly half - $44 billion. Chinese investments in the region have surpassed $40 billion, and around 10,000 companies with Chinese capital are now operating across Central Asia.
Kazakhstan holds a central role in this partnership. The country is implementing 224 projects involving Chinese capital worth more than $66 billion, creating nearly 50,000 jobs. Astana’s selection as the summit host is both symbolic and strategic: Kazakhstan not only initiates regional political coordination but also brings significant substance to its cooperation with China.
Ahead of the summit, Astana hosted the first Regional Energy Forum, where key initiatives were announced:
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Modernization of the Shymkent Oil Refinery: A framework agreement was signed between the Ministry of Energy, KazMunayGas, and China’s CNPC. The plant's capacity is set to expand to 12 million tons per year, boosting Kazakhstan's potential to export refined petroleum products.
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Gas industry: Construction began on a new urea plant in the Aktobe region, backed by QazaqGaz and Chinese investors. In addition, China Construction Bank will open a $1 billion credit line for infrastructure financing.
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Green energy: Projects include the Sauran solar power plant with battery storage, new pumped-storage hydroelectric stations (with China Southern Power Grid), and hydrogen energy cooperation with China Energy International.
Astana also hosted the second Central Asia-China Industrial and Investment Cooperation Forum, resulting in 58 commercial agreements totaling more than $24 billion. Key sectors included both traditional and green energy, digitalization, transport infrastructure, agriculture, and high-tech development.
Agreements were signed between KazMunayGas and CNPC on refinery modernization, urea production, and the development of new gas fields. Other deals include a $2 billion coal-chemical plant and new agro-processing facilities.
Collaboration with Huawei will support digital transformation and next-generation network development. In transport, the focus is on expanding Astana’s light rail (LRT), developing logistics hubs, supplying railway equipment, and building new roads.
Additional areas of cooperation include education, water management, food and textile industries, and the construction of multifunctional complexes - reflecting the broad scope of the China-Kazakhstan partnership, from heavy industry to science and sustainability.
President Xi Jinping arrived in Kazakhstan on the eve of the summit and held more than two hours of talks with Kazakh President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev. Their discussion ranged from security and sovereignty to new joint initiatives. "China is our time-tested and reliable strategic partner," Tokayev said, thanking Beijing for its support of Kazakhstan’s independence and peace initiatives.
Xi Jinping emphasized that bilateral relations remain strong despite global instability: "This is made possible by centuries of friendship and a shared commitment to development. Our joint efforts produce real results that benefit our people."
The two leaders oversaw the signing of 24 intergovernmental and interagency agreements covering energy, the digital economy, agriculture, aerospace, science, media, intellectual property, tourism, and customs. Notably, they signed agreements on investment protection and technical and economic cooperation.
One key area of future cooperation is nuclear energy - an increasingly relevant issue for both China and the broader region. Kazakhstan has established an Atomic Energy Agency to oversee the construction of two planned nuclear power plants.
Even before the national referendum on nuclear energy, President Tokayev stressed that a project of this scale should be implemented through an international consortium. He argued that involving multiple companies would ensure both technological diversity and competition. Following this principle, it was decided that Russia’s Rosatom would lead the first nuclear plant project, while the second will likely be carried out under China’s CNNC.
During his talks with Xi Jinping, Tokayev emphasized Kazakhstan’s trust in CNNC as a strategic partner. "CNNC is globally recognized for its high-level expertise and will be a strong player in our market. Moreover, Kazakhstan is a reliable supplier of natural uranium and nuclear fuel to China," he said.
Transit and logistics are also high on the agenda. Last year, Kazakhstan and China launched construction of a container hub on the Caspian Sea, in cooperation with China’s Lianyungang Port Group and the Aktau Sea Port. The hub opened ahead of schedule on June 9 and has a capacity of 66,000 containers per year. It has already processed its 100,000th container from China.
The Middle Corridor - connecting China to Europe via Kazakhstan, Azerbaijan, Georgia, and Türkiye - is gaining momentum. In 2024, cargo volumes on the route rose by 60% to 4.5 million tons. Kazakhstan aims to increase that figure to 10 million tons by 2030.
Today, more than 80% of all overland cargo from China to Europe passes through Kazakhstan. China’s Belt and Road Initiative is increasingly integrated with regional infrastructure strategies, and the agreements signed in Astana are another step toward creating a unified economic space.
The Astana summit is more than a diplomatic gathering - it is a defining moment for the region. The Central Asia-China format is growing richer in substance each year. China is not only strengthening its presence in the region but offering a model of mutually beneficial, balanced, and pragmatic cooperation. For the countries of Central Asia, this represents a window of opportunity - toward modernization, investment, connectivity, and future energy systems. Judging by the scale of the agreements signed, that journey has only just begun.