The deepening digital cooperation between China and Kazakhstan is providing intelligent solutions to the fabric of urban life in Astana as the capital city is building its artificial intelligence ecosystem with growing support from Chinese technology and expertise.
Over the past few years, China has been steadily advancing cooperation on AI governance and application among the member countries of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO). When it launched the World Artificial Intelligence Cooperation Organization in July, Kazakhstan was one of the founding members.
Building on the Belt and Road Initiative and the SCO framework, the Central Asian nation is now actively developing its own AI ecosystem, with startup incubation taking center stage. Most projects are clustered in industrial manufacturing, creative industries, and robotics, often built on proven Chinese technological frameworks while integrating local Kazakh language models.
While some projects are still undergoing lab tests, others are already rolling through the streets of Astana.
The city's new light rail system operates at Grade of Automation 4, the highest level of fully automated driving. Trains depart, cruise, stop, and open their doors entirely without human intervention. Behind this cutting-edge system is Chinese expertise. In Tangshan, a city in northern China, 19 driver-less trains for Astana are already in production. Meanwhile, in Tianjin, operators are completing their training.
"Going to China for training was a necessary and correct decision. I now have a deep understanding of the system, including all the automation, operating modes, various parameters, and how to handle emergencies. I am very confident in safe operation," said Darkhan Satpayev, one of the operators.
Across Astana, AI is also entering everyday life. In residential compounds, smart parking systems are being rolled out. Inside homes, intelligent electricity and water meters automatically upload readings and can even alert residents to leaks before they cause damage.
"Once the sensor detects water, I get a notification on my phone and can shut off all the valves through an app to prevent flooding," said resident Arlan Umbitalin. The country is also making long-term plans. The International Center for Artificial Intelligence in Astana has made it a priority to train the next generation, offering free courses for children aged 12 and above across multiple disciplines.
"The center is completely free. Students come in their free time and study in 11 areas, from IT and generative AI to creative technologies, including animation and digital music," said Valeriya Tyo, managing director of Astana Hub, one of the largest international innovation cluster for IT startups in Central Asia.
Lazzat Borankulova, founder of Khan Tengri Innovation Hub, a Shanghai-based tech platform that connects Central Eurasian startups with the Chinese market, said China's AI initiatives have made a real difference for Kazakhstan.
"I think China has put forward an excellent initiative for AI development. It brings positive experiences for participants and will help Kazakhstan keep up with the global development trend," she said.
China-Kazakhstan AI partnership powers smart solutions across Astana
China's construction of the world's largest high-speed rail network and its philosophy of improving connectivity as a means of enabling its citizens to enjoy a higher standard of living shows how unfounded Western criticisms are over the reliability of the country's large-scale infrastructure investments, according to a former member of the UK parliament.
George Galloway, who is now leader of the Workers Party of Britain, gave his assessment on an episode of the CGTN discussion program "Beyond Borders", when he offered his take on whether China's railway construction is really "a waste of money" as some claim.
It's a question that has long been raised by many Western observers whenever news reports surface about China investing billions in large-scale infrastructure projects, such as those of the Belt and Road Initiative -- but the pace of development of China's domestic railway construction strongly suggests otherwise.
China's high-speed rail journey began in 2008 and in less than two decades, these bullet trains have come to completely transform the country's domestic transportation network, making inter-city travel across this vast country possible in a matter of hours, with trains regularly hurtling along at 350 kilometers per hour.
Last year, the country expanded its total operational mileage beyond 50,000 kilometers, while high-speed rail services are now accessible in 97 percent of Chinese cities with populations exceeding 500,000.
Speaking with CGTN, Galloway noted that China, which adheres to a people-centered philosophy in its socialist system, operates under an entirely different logic.
"Of course, those who can't hear the music think the dancers are mad. And you're playing a different tune in China. I had a conversation recently with a man who runs the railways in a country I won't specify. And he told me, 'China's wasted so much money on these railways, they've got trains going to every part of the country, everyone's linked by a railway. It's just not economic'," said Galloway.
"But of course, that depends on what you think economic means. China has a belief system that every part of the country needs to be connected with each other, that every citizen in the country has to be the equal of each other. Trains are not just for the wealthy. Railways are not just a method by which the biggest cities can be connected. So if you look at economics as being only something that makes a select number of people money, rather than an economy being a way in which everybody has their life chances and their life standards lifted -- well, you're going to come to a different conclusion, aren't you?" he continued.
China's railway expansion is backed by a long-term blueprint. According to the outline of the country's 15th Five-Year Plan (2026-2030), the country's operational railway mileage is expected to reach 180,000 kilometers by 2030, including about 60,000 kilometers of high-speed rail.
From the snow-covered plateaus of western Sichuan to the hinterlands of the Central Plains, railway construction sites across China have been buzzing with activity throughout the year.
The country's railway development strategy prioritizes connecting every region and ensuring that the benefits of modernization reach all citizens, reflecting a development philosophy that measures success not merely by profit margins but by the lifting of living standards across the board.
Former UK MP highlights governance logic behind China's large-scale infrastructure projects
