Kazakhstan holds investment talks with Chinese companies
Kazakhstan has discussed investment projects worth $1.5 billion in coal chemistry and agriculture with leading Chinese corporations.
Kazakhstan has held a series of strategic investment talks with leading Chinese industrial and agribusiness companies in Urumqi. According to the Ministry of National Economy of Kazakhstan, the meetings were led by Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of National Economy Serik Zhumangarin. The parties discussed expanding bilateral cooperation in key economic sectors, including energy, deep processing of raw materials, and agriculture.
A central highlight of the negotiations was the meeting with representatives of China Pingmei Shenma Holding Group Co., Ltd. The Chinese investor is considering investing up to $1.5 billion in the construction of a full-cycle coal chemical complex in Kazakhstan. According to Serik Zhumangarin, the government actively supports such projects. Specifically, joint work with the Baiterek holding and the Development Bank of Kazakhstan is planned to develop financing mechanisms. The Abai Region has already expressed its readiness to provide the necessary sites for the implementation of this large-scale project.
During the visit, a memorandum of strategic cooperation was signed between China Pingmei Shenma Holding Group and QazTrade. The document is aimed at developing Kazakhstan's coal resources and stimulating the national coal chemical industry. It is expected that the deep processing of raw materials will allow for the creation of high value-added goods, which is a priority direction for the country's economic development.
A separate part of the program included negotiations with Xinjiang Zhongxinjian Animal Husbandry Co., Ltd. focused on the development of the agro-industrial complex. The parties concentrated on issues of biotechnology, livestock breeding, veterinary pharmaceuticals, and modern irrigation systems. Minister Zhumangarin emphasized that Kazakhstan is transitioning from exporting live cattle to supplying processed products, which requires the creation of modern quality control and logistics infrastructure to access the Chinese market.
To ensure a sustainable partnership, Kazakhstan proposed creating a laboratory operating under Chinese standards and optimizing the regulatory framework for exports. At the conclusion of the talks, the parties agreed to prepare cooperation roadmaps and organize reciprocal expert visits. It is worth noting that China is one of Kazakhstan's most important partners: in 2025, bilateral trade reached a historic high of $48.7 billion, and direct Chinese investment totaled $2.8 billion. The countries are aiming to increase trade turnover to $100 billion in the long term.