Kazakhstan Views Hong Kong as a Vital and Natural Partner, the Interest in Hong Kong is not Short Term

Last month, Airport Authority Hong Kong (AAHK) signed Memorandum of Understanding with Kazakhstan at the Belt and Road Summit, marking a new chapter of aviation connectivity and cooperation between Hong Kong and Kazakhstan.

Bauyrzhan Dosmanbetov, Consul General of the Republic of Kazakhstan to Hong Kong and Macao SAR’s, highlights that this cooperation with AAHK is a milestone not only for tourism, but also for strengthening aviation management, enhancing service quality, and developing professional talent.

Bauyrzhan Dosmanbetov, Consul General of the Republic of Kazakhstan to Hong Kong and Macau SAR’s. By Bastillepost.

“We had a direct flight from Hong Kong to Almaty before the pandemic, but then it was canceled,” says Dosmanbetov, “We are actively working on resuming it  with the major Hong Kong carriers to make both destinations more accessible.” He also says that it is a pity that there is no airline currently operates direct flights to Hong Kong from Central Asia, which has a total population of  80 million.

AAHK signed memorandum with Kazakhstan last month at the Belt and Road Summit. Internet photo.

Besides working on resuming direct flight between Hong Kong and Kazakhstan, according to Dosmanbetov, Kazakhstan also provides two scholarships for their pilots and managers who are going to study at Hong Kong International Aviation Academy (HKIAA), in the hope of enhancing operational excellence, and further supporting stronger tourism, trade and people-to-people exchange.

Aviation is not the only cooperation Kazakhstan reached with Hong Kong. In August, Jiaxin International Resources Investment Limited, a Kazakhstan company receiving investment from Chinese enterprise, listed on both Hong Kong and Kazakhstan markets.

Shares of the company surged about 178 percent on its first day of initial public offering (IPO) on Hong Kong market. “The dual listing is a big growth for the company,” says Dosmanbetov, “I know we have two more companies also want to list in Hong Kong and Astana.”

As President of Kazakhstan, Kassym-Jomart Tokayev, emphasized in his 2025 State of the Nation Address, Kazakhstan must move beyond relying on raw material investment and channel more capital into manufacturing and high-end industry.

Dosmanbetov says that the reason why Kazakhstan is interested in Hong Kong market is that Hong Kong can connect it with investors who are experienced in supporting large-scale, diversified and innovative projects. According to him, entering Hong Kong means Kazakhstan-based companies gain access not only to financing but also to strategic partnership and pathways to support the transformation of Kazakhstan.

Dosmanbetov expresses optimism about deeper cooperation between the Astana International Exchange (AIX) and the Hong Kong Stock Exchange (HKEX) in the future.  “Our interest in Hong Kong is not short-term,” says Dosmanbetov.

For Consul General, cooperating with Hong Kong is about aligning Kazakhstan’s economic transformation with one of the world’s most dynamic financial hubs. “Hong Kong, ” says Dosmanbetov, “as one of Asia’s premier financial hubs and a gateway to Chinese mainland, is natural partner.”

The Astana International Financial Center (AIFC) has already signed memorandum of understanding with top Asian exchanges, Dosmanbetov expects that there would be more Kazakhstan-based companies will engage in knowledge-sharing, dual-listing and cross-border investment in the coming years, so that they can benefit from the AIX’s high regulatory standards and HKEX’s deep liquidity.   

The Astana International Center. Internet photo.

To reach the vision, the Consulate General of Kazakhstan in Hong Kong supports the investors of these projects by assisting with government coordination and regulatory matters, and acts as a link between Hong Kong and Kazakhstan. By working closely with Kazakh Invest, InvestHK, Qazaqstan Investment Corporation, and other agencies, the Consulate General can ensure that projects can develop smoothly and successfully.

When talking about the Belt and Road Summit held earlier, Dosmanbetov states that the Belt and Road Initiative is a powerful engine for Kazakhstan’s future development, since it can not only strengthen transport and investment links across Eurasia, but also deepen its eternal friendship with China.

For Dosmanbetov, the Belt and Road Initiative can provide infrastructure financing, technology partnerships, and cross-border connectivity, which builds the framework of creating a digital Kazakhstan. In September, the Development Bank of Kazakhstan issued a 2 billion yuan (HK$2.18 billion) dim sum bond in Hong Kong, making it the first issuer from Central Asia to launch a bond in Hong Kong.

Kazakhstan is one of the five countries in Central Asia, the rest of four are Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Turmenistan and Uzbekistan, and the total population of five is 80 million. According to online information, Kazakhstan has the biggest population among them, the 2025 population is 20.84 million, with the annual growth rate of 1.55%, there are over 55% of them live in urban, the median age is 29.7, the population structure is younger than most of the countries.

For Dosmanbetov, the Belt and Road Initiative can bring infrastructure financing, technology partnerships, and cross-border connectivity which build the framework of creating a digital Kazakhstan. Photo by Bastillepost.

Kazakhstan is also the important hub of the Silk Road Economic Belt, China and Kazakhstan have reached multiple cooperations in railways and Caspian sea shipping, building China-Europe railways and cross Caspian sea corridor together, which becomes the Eurasia transport hub.

Action plan on the Belt and Road Initiative made by China and Kazakhstan covers green mining, agriculture modernization, engineer technology and so on, strengthening the cooperation in defense industry is also included.

Dosmanbetov points out that the demonstration effect of the issuance includes that other banks, corporates and infrastructure companies in Kazakhstan and across Central Asia now have a proven model for raising RMB capital in Hong Kong to finance projects like energy transition and digital infrastructure.

For investors from Hong Kong and Greater Bay Area, Dosmanbetov recommends the most promising areas in Kazakhstan including AI applications, fin-tech, renewable and green energy, smart logistics, advanced manufacturing and deep agricultural processing.

Dosmanbetov introduces that AIFC provides an English-law jurisdiction, long-term tax exemptions on corporate income, capital gains and dividends , simplified visa and work-permit procedures to better facilitate the investors. Special economic zones and industrial parks are also provided.

Consulate General of the Republic of Kazakhstan in Hong Kong and Macau SAR' s, PRC. Photo by Bastillepost.

“Kazakhstan is a young and forward-looking state,” says Dosmanbetov, “we give Hong Kong companies not only market access, but also clear pathways to participate in building Kazakhstan’s digital economy and AI-driven industries.”

BRAZZAVILLE, Republic of Congo (AP) — The Republic of Congo ’s President Denis Sassou N’Guesso, who has ruled for 42 years, was reelected for a fifth consecutive term, according to provisional results announced Tuesday by authorities.

Sassou N’Guesso won 94,82% of the vote, Interior Minister Raymond Zephirin Mboulou said on state television.

Six other candidates challenged the 82-year-old for the top job in the Central African country that boasts one of the largest oil reserves in sub-Saharan Africa.

The internet was shut down across the country as usual during the presidential election and traffic was restricted across the capital.

The election is the latest in a trend of octogenarian African leaders clinging to power. Sassou N’Guesso is the third-longest-serving African president, only behind Cameroon ’s Paul Biya and Equatorial Guinea ’s Teodoro Obiang Nguema Mbasogo.

The interior minister reported a turnout of 84.65% and 2.6 million ballots cast. But many polling stations in the capital Brazzaville saw short or non-existent lines, as locals said they did not believe the election would result in a change in leadership from Sassou N’Guesso, who has ruled for 42 years.

Mabio Mavoungou Zinga of the Alliance party came in second with 1.48% of votes, closely followed by independent candidate Uphrem Dave Mafoula who received 1.03% of the vote, according to the provisional results. The other four candidates got less than 1% of the vote.

The provisional results still have to be approved by the constitutional Court.

“By reelecting me by a landslide, the people have kept their word. Now it is up to us to keep ours. We promise to commit ourselves fully to doing everything possible," Sassou N’Guesso told reporters at his party’s headquarters. He said the high turnout reflected the population's “civic-mindedness” and “patriotism.”

Sassou N’Guesso, running for the Congolese Party of Labor, first came to power in 1979 and ruled until 1992 when he organized the country’s first multi-party elections. He returned to power as a militia leader following a four-month civil war in 1997.

The campaign period showed a vast mismatch between Sassou N’Guesso and his opponents, with the incumbent being the only candidate to travel around the country to canvass for votes. Roads in the capital city, Brazzaville, were paved with Sassou N’Guesso’s effigies.

Two other major parties boycotted the elections over allegations of unfair electoral practices.

A constitutional referendum in 2015 removed presidential age and term limits, allowing him to run again.

The country is struggling with high international debt, which stands at 94.5% of its gross domestic product, according to the World Bank, and skyrocketing unemployment rates for young people. More than half the country’s 5.7 million population lives in poverty and 47% of the country’s population is under 18.

In Brazzaville, the president's reelection did not surprise most residents.

“Everyone knew he would be reelected against candidates who were no match for him. The blame lies with the manipulated opposition, which failed to field a single candidate, thus leaving the field open to the presidential camp,” said Jean Baptiste Mahoukou, a taxi driver.

“Like many of my friends I didn’t vote simply because everything was rigged to ensure that President Denis Sassou N’Guesso continues to govern us," said Christian Sondou, 52, a carpenter. "Having been in power for over 40 years, Denis Sassou N’Guesso has failed to lift the country out of poverty. He should have stepped down and handed power over to the young people.”

“There’s no need to lament, we must be patient as he won’t be around forever,” said Elise Sonia, a vendor at the Makelekele market. “Nature will take care of this generation that clings to power without making the slightest effort to build and develop the country."

This story has been corrected to spell Sassou N'Guesso's first name as Denis, not Dennis.

Voters check for their names at a polling station in Brazzaville, the Republic of Congo, Sunday, March 15, 2026. (AP Photo/Vivace Mambouana)

A voter cast his ballot at a polling station in Brazzaville, the Republic of Congo, Sunday, March 15, 2026. (AP Photo/Vivace Mambouana)

An election official check for the name of a voter in a register at a polling station in Brazzaville, the Republic of Congo, Sunday, March 15, 2026. (AP Photo/Vivace Mambouana)

President of the Republic of Congo, Denis Sassou N'Guesso casts his ballot at a polling station in Brazzaville, the Republic of Congo, Sunday, March 15, 2026. (AP Photo/Vivace Mambouana)

FILE - President of Congo Denis Sassou N'Guesso looks on during a ceremony at the Elysee Palace in Paris, on May 23, 2025. Thomas Samson/ Pool Photo via AP, FILE)