Kazakhstan's future relations with China should focus more on energy cooperation, which can bring into play the advantages of both parties, said a Kazakh expert.
Chinese President Xi Jinping called for championing the China-Central Asia Spirit for high-quality cooperation in the region when addressing the second China-Central Asia Summit in the Kazakh capital of Astana on Tuesday.
Xi delivered a keynote speech at the summit hosted by Kazakh President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev. It is the first time that the China-Central Asia Summit is held in a Central Asian country.
Almaz Abildayev, director of the Energy Aspects of Kazakhstan Research Center, believed that energy should be an important field for future cooperation between the two countries.
"We understand that in a changing world, new points of economic growth, new points of development of civilization, will come from Asia too, and this is also the understanding of the Kazakh authorities. And for Kazakhstan, basically, its main export is energy, and it wants to use its resource potential as much as possible, while building factories. I think that a big portion of our relations, a new page of our relations with China will be more of an energy nature," he said.
Abildayev expressed high hopes for deepening the relations between China and Central Asian countries.
"These areas will be deepened, and we know that President Xi also called for a deeper relationship. And this will open a new page in the relationship between the countries in Central Asia and China. And all the Kazakhs, I think, await an economic growth of our country, that is expected. And we are waiting for economic development of both countries, an increase in the well-being of our citizens. I think such forums will contribute and lead to practical goals for both of our countries," he said.
Energy to be key field for future China-Kazakhstan cooperation: expert
