Foreign Minister Erzhan Kazykhanov had talks with his Chinese counterpart Yang Jiechi

September 9 Kazakhstan’s Foreign Minister Erzhan Kazykhanov had talks with his Chinese counterpart Yang Jiechi on his first official visit to Beijing, Press Service of the Foreign Ministry reports. “The sides emphasized that interaction of Astana and Beijing within energy projects is of growing strategic importance”, the joint communiqué reads. A critical direction of cooperation is transit transport cooperation, notably integration of transport networks of Central Asia and China through West China – West Europe transport corridor and Zhetygen – Khorgos railway link. The sides also dwelt on trade and economic ties, emphasizing that the trade turnover between the two nations has grown 12 times for the recent decade. Mr. Kazykhanov expressed gratitude to the Chinese side for support rendered to Kazakhstan’s initiatives, praising joint efforts during Kazakhstan’s chairmanship at the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO). Earlier Tengrinews.kz reported that the turnover between Kazakhstan and China in 2011 may grow by 20%, citing officials of the Chinese embassy in Kazakhstan. According to Kazakhstan’s statistics, trade turnover between the two nations in 2010 stood at $20.3 billion, 45% up against 2009.