BAKU, Azerbaijan, September 25. The
Kazakhstan-China Investment Forum should become a permanent
platform for direct interaction between the business communities of
the two countries, Kazakh President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev said at
the Kazakhstan-China Investment Forum in Almaty today, according to
the presedential press service.


“I propose holding it annually in September under the name
Almaty Investment Dialogue ‘Kazakhstan-China.’ A number of specific
agreements have been reached today. I am confident that these
agreements will benefit not only Kazakhstan and China, but also the
sustainable development of the entire Eurasian continent,” the
president said.


Tokayev noted that the implementation of joint initiatives
requires an appropriate financial architecture. He told forum
participants that the Astana International Financial Centre (AIFC)
has been operating successfully in Kazakhstan for many years.


“We see great potential in developing cooperation between the
AIFC and Hong Kong, one of the world’s leading financial centers.
In early September this year, Samruk-Kazyna became the first issuer
from Central Asia and the Shanghai Cooperation Organization
countries to enter China’s interbank market, issuing panda bonds
worth more than 3 billion yuan ($450 million). Kazakhstan intends
to make the entire investment cycle as short, transparent and
technology-driven as possible. The signing of the agreement to
establish a Kazakh-Chinese investment fund under Kazakh Invest, the
national investment promotion company, is another important step in
this direction,” Tokayev said.







Tokayev added that Kazakhstan attaches particular
importance to strengthening its enduring friendship with China.


“For our country, this is one of the most important
goals of our foreign policy. If we look at our common history, the
Chinese people have never caused any harm to our people. For many
years, the two peoples have coexisted in genuine harmony,
maintaining mutual respect and providing support to each other. In
the current unstable and uncertain times, Kazakhstan and China, as
reliable partners, should act together, side by side, to confront
numerous challenges and threats,” he said.