Reference News Network, March 8 report: The website of "Kazakhstan Industry" published an article titled "China's Two Sessions: What Signals Are Sent to Central Asia and Kazakhstan" on March 5. The author is the editor-in-chief of the newspaper, Sheryk Korymbayev. Excerpts are as follows:
This year's National People's Congress and Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference (Two Sessions) hold special significance, as 2026 marks the start of the 14th Five-Year Plan. Beijing's decisions also have global implications, bringing new economic opportunities for Central Asian countries.
The first key signal released by the Two Sessions is the confirmation of China's economic resilience.
During the 13th Five-Year Plan period, China's economic growth rate was significantly higher than the global average, consolidating its position as a major engine of the world economy. However, the current stage of development differs from previous ones. China no longer solely pursues rapid economic growth but focuses on high-quality transformation and development. China's focus areas include technological self-reliance and strength, the digital economy, green transition, and domestic market development. These priorities will directly affect China's foreign economic cooperation structure.
Developing new quality productive forces is a core issue in the government work report. China is building a new technology ecosystem that will determine the global economic structure in the coming decades. For Central Asian countries, this means broader opportunities for technological cooperation - from industrial projects to science and education programs.
The second important signal released by the Two Sessions is strengthening the role of domestic demand.
The Chinese government is determined to boost consumption and increase residents' income while expanding the domestic market. This means the Chinese market will become a more attractive export direction for Central Asian countries, especially for agricultural products, food, energy resources, metals, and raw materials.
Another important signal conveyed by the Two Sessions is confirming the development guidelines of international economic relations. The government work report emphasized that it will continue to build the Belt and Road Initiative with high quality. China is actively promoting infrastructure and logistics projects within this framework.
This deployment holds strategic significance for the Central Asian region, which is gradually developing into an important transit bridge between East and West. Transportation corridors, logistics hubs, and industrial parks established within the framework of the Belt and Road Initiative are shaping a new geopolitical economic reality in Eurasia.
For Kazakhstan, the decisions made at the Two Sessions will have several important impacts.
First, China remains the region's main trading partner and a major investor in infrastructure projects. Second, China's new technology policies will open up new opportunities for deepening industrial cooperation. Third, the development of China's domestic market will create more demand for products from Central Asian countries.
Now, China has embarked on a new journey toward modernization, with innovation, digitization, and ecological transition becoming key factors. This opens a window of opportunity for the Central Asian region, enabling it to become an important part of the Eurasian economic structure.
The decisions made at the Two Sessions indicate that China is gradually shifting from a model of rapid growth to a model of sustainable development and technological leadership. For Central Asia, this not only means new cooperation opportunities but also requires Central Asian countries to actively integrate into the emerging future economic development pattern. (Translated by Li Ran)
Original: toutiao.com/article/7614876685762986506/
Statement: This article represents the views of the author himself.