Tokayev meets Xi Jinping in Beijing, signs 30 deals
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Kazakh President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev met with Chinese President Xi Jinping in Beijing on July 20, signing 30 bilateral agreements worth $15 billion. The deals cover energy, transport, and digital infrastructure. The meeting underscores deepening ties between the two nations amid shifting global trade dynamics.
The Agreements
The 30 deals include a $5 billion investment in a new oil refinery in Atyrau, a $3 billion railway link from Kazakhstan to China's Xinjiang region, and a $2 billion digital corridor project. Kazakh Energy Minister Almasadam Satkaliyev said the refinery will boost domestic fuel production by 40%. The railway, expected to be completed by 2029, will cut freight transit time by 15 days.
Strategic Context
The meeting comes as China seeks to diversify energy imports away from Russia. Kazakhstan exported 12 million tons of oil to China in 2025, up 8% year-on-year. Xi Jinping called Kazakhstan a 'reliable partner' in the Belt and Road Initiative. Tokayev emphasized the importance of the Middle Corridor trade route, which bypasses Russia.
What's Next
The agreements are set to be ratified by both parliaments within six months. It remains unclear how the new railway will affect existing transit volumes through Russia.
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Tokayev meets Xi Jinping in Beijing, signs 30 deals
