During a working visit by President Qasym-Jomart Toqaev to Shanghai, Kazakh and Chinese companies signed more than 70 agreements worth over $15 billion, reports infohub.kz.
One of the key strategic partners is Huawei. The Ministry of Digital Development, Innovation and Aerospace Industry signed a telecom agreement with the company, while Samruk-Kazyna agreed to purchase its equipment and technologies. Other projects focus on basic digital infrastructure: Kazakhtelecom, together with Hengtong Group, will develop a data center valley, and Transtelecom and GuoDong Group will build antenna-mast structures to expand mobile coverage.
Kazakhstan also plans to start robot manufacturing. Qazbot Technologies signed an agreement with AgiBot, for which it became the exclusive partner in Central Asia back in April. At the same time, the company Qazbot was registered in Astana. Another agreement in this field was signed by the Almaty city administration, NERO Group and UBTECH.
At the same time, Kazakhstan aims to train specialists in partnership with Chinese universities and research centers. Qazaq AI Research University, recently at the center of a scandal over educational grants, will collaborate with the Shanghai Innovation Institute in artificial intelligence. Al-Farabi Kazakh National University plans to set up a joint institute with Soochow University and also intends to work with robotic equipment manufacturer Huibo Robot.
Chinese companies will now not only sell cars in Kazakhstan but also assemble them locally. Allur and Li Auto agreed to localize production. Astana Motors and Chery signed an agreement to manufacture OMODA and JAECOO models, for which they obtained distribution rights in April this year.
With China's NUCTECH, a manufacturer of screening equipment for airports, customs and ports, Kazakhstan plans to localize production of screening scanners. Samruk-Kazyna, Freedom Holding, the Astana city administration and Geely will participate in projects on charging infrastructure and artificial intelligence in the automotive industry. China's CATL, the world's largest electric vehicle battery maker, also expressed readiness to build a plant in Kazakhstan, though timelines, costs and location are not yet known.
In industry, Qarmet, the Development Bank of Kazakhstan and ACRE continue a project for two coke batteries and a gas cleaning system. Transport projects revolve around the route to the Caspian Sea. Guoyou plans to build a multifunctional port in Kuryk with a capacity of up to 15 million tons. Previously, the first phase was estimated at $300 million, and the entire complex at $1.1 billion. With China Communications Construction Company, Toqaev discussed the Bakhty-Ayagoz railway and a dredging enterprise on the Caspian. Two more agreements concern the Khorgos-East Gate logistics corridor and servicing Development Bank of Kazakhstan bonds in the Chinese free trade zone.
The opening ceremony of the World Artificial Intelligence Conference WAIC 2026 will be held in Shanghai on July 17 and will run until July 20. President Qasym-Jomart Toqaev is expected to speak at the conference.