BAKU, Azerbaijan, September 8. Kazakhstan and
China have signed an agreement on ensuring security and public
order at the International Centre for Cross-Border Cooperation
"Khorgos", Kazakhstan's Ministry of Internal Affairs said.


The agreement was signed during Kazakhstan’s Minister of
Internal Affairs Yerzhan Sadenov’s working visit to Beijing , where
he participated in a meeting of interior and public security
ministers in the "Central Asia - China" format.


During the visit, Sadenov also held a bilateral meeting with
Chinese Minister of Public Security Wang Xiaohong. The sides
discussed current issues of Kazakhstan-China cooperation in the
security sector and further areas of joint work.


"The signing of the document concludes long-term joint efforts
to establish legal mechanisms for ensuring security at the Khorgos
International Centre for Cross-Border Cooperation. The agreement
defines the procedures for cooperation between the competent
authorities of the two countries and will enable more effective
prevention of offenses, prompt response to emerging threats and
ensuring the safety of citizens at the international center," the
ministry said.


Another important outcome of the bilateral talks was an
agreement on the mutual recognition and exchange of national
driving licenses issued to citizens of Kazakhstan and China.


The agreement is expected to simplify relevant procedures for
citizens of both countries and create more convenient conditions
for mutual travel.


The agreements reached are aimed at further developing practical
cooperation between Kazakhstan and China in the security sector and
addressing specific issues of mutual interest.







According to Kazakh Invest, the Khorgos International Centre for
Border Cooperation (ICBC) comprises two parts: the Kazakh part,
located in the Panfilov district of Almaty Region, and the Chinese
part, situated in the Ili Kazakh Autonomous Prefecture of the
Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region.


The Kazakh part of the Khorgos ICBC is located 321 kilometers
from Taldykorgan, the administrative center of Almaty Region, and
361 kilometers from Almaty, Kazakhstan’s largest city.


The center is situated approximately 1 kilometer from Khorgos, a
border city in China, 90 kilometers from Yining, the nearest major
city in the Ili Kazakh Autonomous Prefecture, and 670 kilometers
from Urumqi, the administrative center of the Xinjiang Uyghur
Autonomous Region.


The Khorgos ICBC covers a total area of 560 hectares, with 217
hectares located on the Kazakh side and 343 hectares on the Chinese
side. The two parts are connected by a dedicated pedestrian and
transport corridor.


Citizens of Kazakhstan, China and other countries may stay in
both the Kazakh and Chinese parts of the Khorgos ICBC for up to 30
days without a visa, provided they hold valid documents recognized
and agreed upon by the competent authorities of the countries
concerned.