Chao News client reporter Ma Yue, Xu Xuechun, Wu Huang
Walking through the streets of Kazakhstan's cities, the blending of civilizations seems to have a real sense - in the buildings heavily influenced by Russian style, people wear European fashion brands, enjoy Chinese food, and have warm smiles on their faces, but also carry the warm charm of steppe culture.
This is the beating "heartland" of the Eurasian continent, an important channel for exchanges between the East and the West from ancient times to the present, and in 2013, the magnificent movement of the "Belt and Road" was plucked here to pluck the first note, and since then it has continued to stir up the world's reverberation.
Over the past 10 years, from initiative to action, from concept to practice, China-Kazakhstan cooperation has yielded fruitful results. Friendly neighbors separated by a strip of water, in closer exchanges, stride forward towards a common vision.
Photo by Chao News reporter Wu Huang in Almaty, Kazakhstan
Trade access promotes win-win results
Walking into a commercial center, mobile phones from brands such as Xiaomi and OPPO are placed in a hot-selling position, and when you walk through the streets and alleys, you can often see familiar car logos such as Geely, Chery, and BYD...... In Almaty, Kazakhstan's largest city, such a Chinese imprint can be found everywhere. But more than a decade ago, it was an area where Chinese companies were less presence, and there were few local roots and long-term commitments.
In order to find out the development code behind the change, we drove to the southeast, which is the new business and office center of Almaty in recent years. There are many subsidiaries and offices of Chinese enterprises in the rows of office buildings, which have become a witness to the fruitful economic and trade achievements between China and Kazakhstan.
Sany Heavy Machinery Kazakhstan office is also located in it, the person in charge Wang Xihan introduced, at present, Kazakhstan's mining mining, infrastructure construction, municipal engineering projects, are using China-made construction machinery and equipment, the market share of nearly 70%. "Taking loaders as an example, Kazakhstan has a demand of more than 3,000 units a year, which is a very important market. ”
In his opinion, behind the "quality and speed" of Chinese enterprises going overseas, it is inseparable from "time, place, and people"——
With the advancement of the "Belt and Road" initiative, the economic exchanges of the co-construction countries have become smoother, and the enterprises have eliminated barriers and ushered in broad opportunities for enterprises to "go to sea"; Kazakhstan and even Central Asia have continuously released market potential, which just provides a platform for enterprises to take off; and the rapid improvement of scientific and technological strength and manufacturing level has also added confidence and confidence to more enterprises to carry out global layout.
Today, bilateral trade between China and Kazakhstan has basically covered various areas of cooperation, from energy to agricultural trade. In 2022, the trade volume between China and Kazakhstan exceeded US$31 billion for the first time, a year-on-year increase of 23.6%. China has been Kazakhstan's second largest trading partner, the second largest export destination and the second largest source of imports for many years. Under the hot economic and trade cooperation, Chinese enterprises are not only looking forward to the sale of products, but also to establish a complete industrial operation system in the local area. Wang Xihan mentioned that at present, Sany Heavy Machinery has established a central warehouse in Kazakhstan and arranged special personnel to provide teaching and training for local workers, in order to solve customer demands in a timely manner, empower business development, and radiate to a broader hinterland of Central Asia.
Photo courtesy of the interviewee in the "Made in China" project in Kazakhstan
The Belt and Road Initiative pursues development, advocates win-win results, and conveys hope. Chinese enterprises that seize the opportunity to "go overseas" have become the main force of "interconnection" between the two countries while constantly exploring the market. By contributing to the construction of infrastructure and cultivating a large number of local technical talents, we will contribute to the industrialization process of Kazakhstan.
Kazakh Deputy Minister of Trade and Integration Torebayev mentioned in an interview with the media that in cooperation and getting along with Chinese enterprises, Kazakhstan can obtain more beneficial development models and focus on introducing new technologies and innovative methods, which will have a positive impact on the country's economic development.
Expand opportunities in the airway
Deeply cultivated in the Central Asian market for a long time, Wang Xihan has saved a thick pile of air tickets. Every quarter, he travels back and forth between the domestic head office and Kazakhstan, and the frequency of temporary customer needs is even higher.
With the continuous advancement of the "Belt and Road" construction, Wang Xihan has a real feeling about the increasingly convenient transportation between the two countries, "Now, more and more cities have opened direct routes to Kazakhstan, and the choice of flights and destinations is much richer. ”
In September this year, Zhejiang Loong Airlines made its maiden flight on its Hangzhou=Almaty route, and East China also ushered in its first direct flight to Central Asia. From Almaty, it only takes more than 5 hours, and the flight can arrive in Hangzhou on the same day, and many of them are foreign traders like Wang Xihan.
"At present, the car market in Kazakhstan is still very large, with broad development prospects, and the demand for services such as repair and maintenance will also grow rapidly. In the departure hall of Almaty International Airport, Yang Fan, a native of Zhejiang Province who works in the automotive industry, is enthusiastically discussing his first business trip to Kazakhstan with his companions. ”
Overlooking Almaty, photo by Chao News reporter Wu Huang
Yang Fan mentioned that his company has been entering the Central Asian market since last year. In the past, it took at least two days for colleagues to transfer from Xinjiang to Kazakhstan each way, "With the growth of sales, the number of employees connected to the Central Asian business is also increasing, from sales managers, engineers to after-sales technicians, they may all take this flight in the future." ”
As an important hub of the "Belt and Road", Zhejiang and Kazakhstan have complementary resource endowments, industrial structures and trade structures, which have laid a good opportunity for exchanges. The China-Kazakhstan Visa Exemption Agreement, which came into effect on 10 November this year, has undoubtedly created greater convenience for increasingly close economic and trade cooperation.
This is strongly supported by the rising passenger turnover. Since December this year, the number of flights from Almaty to Hangzhou has increased from three to four per week. According to information from the Embassy of Kazakhstan in China, Loong Air has plans to increase the number of flights to 7 times a week if the number of passengers on the route increases. In addition, by 2024, Loong Air also plans to open a route from Astana to Hangzhou.
Tourism cooperation and people-to-people blind date
For tourists, access is also good news. As the world's largest landlocked country, Kazakhstan has unique natural scenery and unique cultural charm, with majestic snow-capped mountains, deep lakes, mysterious glaciers...... All of them attract people.
In Almaty, for example, in winter, the roads and houses are covered with snow, children play with pigeons in the square, couples kiss and hug each other in the snow, and the whole city is filled with a romantic and warm atmosphere, like a fairy tale.
Almaty in the snow Photo by Chao News reporter Wu Huang
"Actually, it's the off-season for tourists, and because of the weather, April to October is the most popular time for tourists. Ayibek, a Chinese tour guide, told us that it coincided with the recovery of outbound travel and the endless flow of tourists from China, "I have received guests from many cities in Shanghai, Xi'an, Zhejiang and other places, and I have not taken a day off in two months." ”
Perhaps due to the impact of the visa-free policy, Ayibek said that even in November this year, the number of Chinese tourists has not fallen to a low point. The large number of tourists can still be received during the "low season", which is the envy of local guides in other languages.
On the one hand, the high willingness of Chinese tourists to travel, and on the other hand, the local high attention to the cultural tourism industry, with the two-way rush, Kazakhstan's tourism market potential is also constantly being released. Ayibek said that this year, many local travel companies have launched special travel routes for Chinese tourists, and they have received good reviews.
Almaty Comprehensive Farmers' Market "Green Bazaar" Photo by Chao News reporter Wu Huang
For example, Almaty's famous "Green Bazaar", a comprehensive farmers' market that is well-known in Kazakhstan and the whole of Central Asia, is also a must-see for tourists to experience the local fireworks.
"China?China?" Seeing an oriental face walking into the "Green Bazaar", vendors in uniform in uniform will greet you warmly, and bring out candied fruits and dried fruits for you to taste. After receiving a positive reply, they will also show a small piece of Chinese, "Hello!
"I learned Chinese from tourists, and they like the pine nuts and candied fruits here. Yelken, the stall owner, told reporters that tourists have driven the sales of local specialty foods, making their business better and better, "I very much hope that more Chinese will come to Almaty in the future!"
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