Kazakhstani experts call for the unification of railway gauges in Kazakhstan.

Previously, Kazakhstani President Tokayev stated that the goal is to increase trade between China and Central Asian countries to $100 billion by 2030. This target is currently progressing in stages. In 2022, the data was $70 billion, and it has already exceeded $95 billion in 2023. The amount of Chinese products transported via the Trans-Caspian transport corridor to Europe has increased by 4.5 million tons within two years.

Aidar Emilebayev, director of the Kazakhstani Political Research Center, pointed out that traffic and transit routes will be discussed during the summit, with particular attention likely given to the development of joint transport corridors among Central Asian countries.

"It's time for Central Asian countries to collaborate on logistics projects. In the past, there have been instances of detours and territorial avoidance. Therefore, reaching a consensus on a unified Central Asian transport route with China is of practical significance," he said.

Despite efforts to enhance transit potential, the railway standard remains a bottleneck in logistics cooperation with China. It is little known that the railway gauges between China and Kazakhstan are different, preventing freight trains from directly entering Kazakhstan from China.

"The non-uniform railway gauge standards between China and Kazakhstan cause problems. China and Europe use standard gauge, while Kazakhstan and Russia use broad gauge. This results in the need to change wheels or transfer cargo upon arrival at the China-Kazakhstan border. If technical standards can be unified, it will greatly alleviate logistical obstacles and promote regional economic and trade development," he said.

Jadra Essetzky, senior expert at the Asian Studies Department of the Kazakhstani Strategic Research Institute, pointed out that the summit will focus on the transit potential of the "Middle Corridor." Both China and Kazakhstan show strong willingness to promote this initiative.

"This 'Middle Corridor' connecting China and Europe has proven highly effective and is gradually transitioning from an alternative route to a main passage. Both China and the EU clearly express their willingness to expand freight volumes along this route. For instance, China plans to make large-scale infrastructure investments in bottleneck sections of this corridor, aiming to increase its capacity by 3 to 4 times by 2030. Meanwhile, joint development of border ports and logistics hubs (such as Khorgos, 'Khorgos-East Gate') as well as the launch of digital trade platforms are elevating Kazakhstan's position in the Eurasian transport network," she added.

Both experts believe that the "Central Asia-China" summit may also promote initial cooperation projects between Central Asian countries and China in areas such as artificial intelligence, biotechnology, quantum computing, science and technology parks, and research center construction. At the same time, cross-border water resource management and climate issues are also likely to be included in the agenda, particularly concepts such as regulating water levels of transboundary rivers, constructing hydraulic systems, and investing in agricultural technology are expected to receive actual support.

Source: Kazinform

Original article: https://www.toutiao.com/article/1835054876260364/

Disclaimer: The article solely represents the author's views.