ASTANA 鈥 The Astana Times has selected articles from global media outlets covering Kazakhstan. This week鈥檚 foreign media digest covers Kazakh-Chinese cultural ties, Turkic states, the Middle Corridor, and more.
Interview: Cultural exchanges inject new momentum into Kazakhstan-China ties, says Kazakh minister
Cultural and people-to-people exchanges are nurturing the friendship between Kazakhstan and China and injecting fresh momentum into bilateral ties, Kazakh Minister of Culture and Information Aida Balayeva told Xinhua on June 16.
Noting that Kazakhstan and China co-hosted art exhibitions, music concerts, and other cultural events in recent years, she said that the events 鈥渉ave helped us learn more about each other and sparked renewed interest in exploring our own national history.鈥
Cultural programs not only facilitate public engagement but also open new opportunities for bilateral projects and initiatives, she said.
鈥淔rom the perspective of promoting national culture and history, the media plays an irreplaceable role in presenting and disseminating cultural achievements,鈥 she said.
She highlighted the booming tourism development between the two countries.
鈥淔ollowing the successful Kazakhstan Tourism Year in China last year, this year we are celebrating the China Tourism Year in Kazakhstan,鈥 she said.
Kazakhstan Financiers Chair: Infrastructure must be established for digital currency among Turkic states 鈥 Interview
A strong infrastructure must be established for the creation of a common digital currency among Turkic states, Elena Bakhmutova, chairperson of the Council of Kazakhstan鈥檚 Association of Financiers, said in an interview with APA-Economics on June 24.
The interview highlighted Kazakhstan鈥檚 leadership in digital finance, including progress on the Digital Tenge, cybersecurity, and anti-fraud infrastructure, while emphasizing the potential for deeper regional cooperation with Azerbaijan.
Bakhmutova underscored that establishing a common digital currency among Turkic states will require strong central bank infrastructure and significant investment in technology and training.
Kazakhstan, T眉rkiye plan joint transport initiatives to boost Middle Corridor connectivity
In Astana, Maksat Kaliakparov, acting Minister of Transport of Kazakhstan, met with Enver Iskurt, deputy minister of Transport and Infrastructure of T眉rkiye, Trend reported on June 26 via the Ministry of Transport of Kazakhstan.
During the negotiations, special attention was given to further developing cooperation in road, railway, maritime, and air transport, as well as implementing joint projects aimed at developing international transport corridors, including within the framework of the Trans-Caspian International Transport Route (TITR) initiative.
The parties also emphasized the need for a new agreement in the field of road transport, as the current agreement was signed in 1992.
鈥淭he new agreement should create conditions to remove existing barriers in road transport and allow for the unrestricted transportation of goods by road. The Kazakh side emphasized the importance of deepening the partnership with the Republic of T眉rkiye to expand Kazakhstan鈥檚 transit potential and develop transport infrastructure,鈥 the ministry said in a statement.
Kazakhstan rises as a strategic Eurasian logistics power, transforming trade through infrastructure and global connectivity
Kazakhstan is rapidly asserting itself as a dominant force in global logistics, leveraging its strategic location at the crossroads of Eurasia to drive a new era of trade transformation, reported TTW New York-based news website, on June 23.
Anchored along the rapidly developing Middle Corridor, the country is fast becoming a linchpin in east-west supply chains, supported by an ambitious wave of infrastructure development and global cooperation.
Major investments in rail, road, aviation, and maritime infrastructure are enabling Kazakhstan to unlock its full logistics potential. With transit cargo volumes projected to soar to 100 million tons annually by 2030, the nation is rewriting the blueprint for international freight connectivity.
Forums on China-Central Asia cooperation development, Silk Road int鈥檒 communication held in Astana
The China-Central Asia Cooperation Development Forum and the Third Silk Road International Communication Forum were held on Sunday in Astana, the capital of Kazakhstan, reported Xinhua on June 22.
Around 240 representatives from media, think tanks, cultural institutions and business sectors across China and Central Asia engaged in in-depth discussions on topics including deepening Silk Road cooperation.
At the opening ceremony, Arman Kyrykbayev, assistant to the Kazakh president, read a congratulatory message from Kazakh President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev. In the letter, Tokayev noted that not long ago, Chinese President Xi Jinping and the heads of state of the five Central Asian countries attended the second China-Central Asia Summit, which concluded with great success.