After 15 years in Beijing, Kazakh entrepreneur Bashir Modanov has embraced the city's dynamic spirit and international opportunities to fuel his ambitious vision for growth.
His office proudly displays the slogan, "Chinese automobiles go global from here," reflecting his commitment to expanding services and exporting Chinese-made electric vehicles to Kazakhstan.
"I enjoyed being with the teachers, with my classmates. For me, the most interesting part of it is the international students are from all around the world, from different cultures, from different countries, learning from each other, we learned about other countries," he said.
Modanov launched his own business just last year and has tapped into China's rapidly evolving industries to bring cutting-edge innovations, such as electric vehicles and delivery drones, to Central Asian markets.
"I see the development of the China market, I see how Chinese e-commerce, how Chinese supply chains are being developed. What we are doing, we help the Chinese EV cars. Recently, it's really a hot topic, everyone has started to do this business, but we actually have a strong partnership in Kazakhstan, dealers and distributors that we are working very close with them. We help them to find the right products, right car makers in China and export these cars to Kazakhstan. Chinese cars have a huge popularity in Central Asia, I would like to say," said Modanov.
The entrepreneur's business has seen remarkable growth. EV export operations achieved a 125 percent year-on-year increase in market share, highlighting the rapid expansion of his enterprise.
Kazakh authorities revealed that nearly 50 percent of the cars imported into Kazakhstan last year were from China. Meanwhile, Chinese Customs data showed that bilateral trade between China and Kazakhstan reached a historic high of over 43.85 billion U.S. dollars, marking a 6.8 percent year-on-year increase.
The country's significant role in regional trade reinforces its position as a key partner in China's Belt and Road Initiative. Accounting for over 46 percent of trade volume between China and the five Central Asian nations, Kazakhstan serves as a pivotal hub for economic exchanges.
Modanov echoed the importance of fostering deeper connections, noting how his visits home spark curiosity about China’s rapid growth and development.
"People-to-people exchange is the most important way if you want to grow the development between two nations or in other countries. Whenever I go back home, I will speak about China, and whenever I go back home, my family, my friends, they keep asking non-stop about China, how is it in China? Because they see the news, they see how China is growing so fast, they see the development and they really want to understand what is the reason behind, how they can grow together with China as being a strategic partner for our country," he said.
Such exchanges extend beyond business. According to the Kazakh Embassy in China, over 80 percent of China-Europe freight trains pass through Kazakhstan. This interconnectedness is further underscored by a 13 percent growth in railway transport volume between the two nations last year, reaching 32 million metric tons.
China's investment in Kazakhstan also exceeded 1.19 billion U.S. dollars, demonstrating thriving bilateral ties across sectors like energy, manufacturing, green technology, and aerospace.
Kazakh entrepreneur expands Chinese EV trade to central Asia
