On July 17, Kazakh President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev concluded a visit to Shanghai, China, by talking on the opening of the 2026 World Synthetic Intelligence Convention. Whereas restating Kazakhstan’s efforts to turn into a regional hub for digital commerce and worldwide cooperation, Tokayev additionally praised China for its developments within the discipline throughout his 16-minute speech.
The day earlier than, the Kazakh president had already expressed his need to deepen cooperation between the 2 international locations within the discipline of know-how. This was underscored by the signing of offers value greater than $15 billion protecting digital infrastructure, transport, and the safety sector.
Tokayev’s journey comes amid what the Kazakh authorities has coined the 12 months of Digitalization and AI, with power and assets being directed towards the event of a digital state. His talks with industry-leading corporations in Shanghai on July 16 additionally made it clear that China performed a defining function in Kazakhstan’s growth.
Even earlier than the convention, China performed a visual half in Kazakhstan’s digital technique, each by sharing related data and by integrating Chinese language {hardware} to propel Kazakhstan’s hypermodern ambitions. For instance, the Chinese language agency Huawei is the supplier of a number of elements of Kazakhstan’s essential infrastructure.
Tokayev’s Shanghai go to was preceded by a visit by Kazakh International Minister Yermek Kosherbayev to Beijing on July 13, the place he met together with his Chinese language counterpart, Wang Yi. There, Wang expressed optimism in regards to the upcoming assembly.
“The 2 heads of state will conduct in-depth strategic communication, injecting new impetus into the event of bilateral relations,” the Chinese language international minister said.
Concurrently, Kosherbayev confirmed nice curiosity in sustaining shut relations between the 2 international locations, asserting that Kazakhstan at all times prioritizes cooperation with China.
In his Shanghai speech, Tokayev additional emphasised the dimensions of Sino-Kazakh financial relations: “Final yr, bilateral commerce quantity reached $49 billion. This can be a report excessive. China has invested over $30 billion in Kazakhstan’s financial system,” the president stated through the roundtable with heads of a number of Chinese language high-tech corporations.
The speech was adopted by one other step towards nearer cooperation, with the 2 international locations signing greater than 70 agreements and memorandums value over $15 billion. Apart from offers within the logistics sector, among the largest agreements involved the digital growth of, or deployment of, synthetic intelligence in Kazakhstan. Astana grew to become one in all 29 governments to signal on to the Shanghai-based World Synthetic Intelligence Cooperation Group.
Huawei emerged because the greatest beneficiary, agreeing to a strategic partnership with the Kazakh Ministry of Synthetic Intelligence and Digital Growth whereas additionally signing a deal on the supply of kit for Kazakhstan’s sovereign wealth fund. Alongside this, Kazakhtelecom additionally agreed on the essential ideas for future cooperation within the building of the Information Heart Valley, a 1 GW knowledge middle in northeastern Kazakhstan that, when constructed, is ready to turn into the largest of its form in Central Asia.
Even if a full checklist of the greater than 70 agreements and memorandums has not been revealed, the publicly accessible knowledge means that many of the offers middle across the supply of Chinese language merchandise to Kazakhstan, and never the opposite manner round. Whereas Kazakhstan exports essential minerals to China, corresponding to copper used within the manufacturing of electrical automobiles, Chinese language corporations have been key to Kazakhstan’s digitalization over the previous a number of years.
China’s give attention to Kazakhstan shifted noticeably in 2022. That yr, Huawei determined to relocate a number of of its operations from Russia to Central Asia, following Moscow’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine. Huawei was later additionally chosen to construct Kazakhstan’s 5G infrastructure, thereby giving the corporate leverage over essential infrastructure.
Furthermore, the telecommunications firm additionally signed agreements associated to future knowledge facilities in Kazakhstan simply final yr, together with a memorandum beneath which Huawei will help with cybersecurity efforts within the Kazakh power sector going ahead.
On a broader degree, China has already influenced Kazakhstan’s strategy to safety. Based on Radio Azattyk, this may be seen not solely within the know-how used, which comes from China, but additionally within the strategies of nationwide surveillance.
As Tokayev returns residence, Kazakhstan’s technological dependence on China seems set to deepen. With this, a profitable hyper-digitalization of Kazakhstan will profit each the Central Asian nation and the Chinese language financial system.
