Day: June 12, 2025

The Zhetysu container terminal, a new logistics hub jointly developed by Kazakhstan and China, officially opened in Almaty on June 10, marking a significant step in regional freight infrastructure development.

The project is a partnership between Kazakhstan’s national railway operator, Kazakhstan Temir Zholy (KTZ), and Xi’an Free Trade Port Construction and Operation Co., Ltd. of China. Designed to handle up to 115,000 twenty-foot equivalent units (TEU) annually, the Zhetysu terminal is expected to serve as a strategic center for consolidating and distributing Chinese goods transported via rail and road.

Situated at the intersection of key international transit corridors, the terminal is positioned to become Kazakhstan’s largest import hub and a vital link along the Trans-Caspian International Transport Route (TITR), a growing trade pathway connecting China and Europe through Central Asia.

The facility spans 9.8 hectares. Its container yard covers 9,200 square meters and can store up to 1,101 TEU at a time. It also features 23,400 square meters of warehouse space and an 8,900-square-meter parking area for commercial vehicles.

The terminal’s launch was marked by the arrival of the first container train from Xi’an, home to the Kazakh-Chinese cargo terminal that began operations in February 2024.

Yuan Xiaojun, General Director of Xi’an Free Trade Port Construction and Operation, described the new Almaty terminal as both a symbol of China-Kazakhstan cooperation under the Belt and Road Initiative and a catalyst for greater regional economic integration.

“This international logistics hub will help ensure sustainable growth in economic cooperation between China, Kazakhstan, and the broader Eurasian region,” Yuan said.

Kazakhstan is prepared to begin supplying hydrocarbons and nuclear raw materials to Slovakia, President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev announced following talks with Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico in Astana.

Speaking at a joint press briefing, Tokayev reaffirmed Kazakhstan’s commitment to strengthening ties with Slovakia across both bilateral and multilateral platforms, with particular emphasis on expanding economic cooperation. In 2024, trade between the two countries reached $140 million. According to Tokayev, new opportunities are emerging in sectors such as energy, industrial production, agriculture, logistics, digitalization, critical raw materials, education, and tourism.

“Kazakhstan is ready to export oil, gas, uranium, food products, and other goods to Slovakia,” Tokayev said.

According to Kazakhstan’s Ministry of Energy, the country exported 68.6 million tons of oil to foreign markets in 2024. This year, exports are projected to increase to 70.5 million tons. The bulk of these exports, 57.05 million tons, will be shipped via the Caspian Pipeline Consortium (CPC). Additional routes include the Atyrau-Samara pipeline (8.8 million tons), the Druzhba pipeline to Germany (1.2 million tons), and the Atasu-Alashankou route to China (1 million tons). Kazakhstan also plans to ship 3.6 million tons of oil through the port of Aktau, with 1.5 million tons continuing via the Baku-Tbilisi-Ceyhan pipeline.

Following his meeting with Fico, Tokayev also highlighted potential cooperation in military-technical fields. The two leaders discussed leveraging the Trans-Caspian International Transport Corridor, which links China and Europe through Kazakhstan. “I invited our Slovak partners to participate in this project, which could open new horizons for bilateral trade,” Tokayev said.

Prime Minister Fico expressed interest in deepening cooperation in both the oil and nuclear energy sectors. “We have five reactors, and a sixth will soon be operational. We’re also planning to purchase a 1.5 MW nuclear power plant. If our Kazakh colleagues are interested, we’re ready to cooperate,” Fico stated. He also noted discussions on utilizing the Druzhba pipeline corridor through Russia and Belarus to supply oil to Slovakia.

Meanwhile, Kazakhstan is moving forward with plans for its first nuclear power plant. As previously reported by The Times of Central Asia, the country’s Atomic Energy Agency is expected to announce by the end of this month which foreign company will be awarded the construction contract.