Jun 10, 2026
“Astana is our Beijing, Almaty is Shanghai, and Alatau is the equivalent of Shenzhen”
It is no coincidence that the visit began in Shenzhen. This innovative metropolis, home to almost as many people as the whole of Kazakhstan, now serves as one of the key models for the development of Alatau – the country’s new centre of economic growth.
On 9 June, at a meeting with the city’s mayor, Qin Weizhong, Kanat Bozumbayev presented Alatau’s potential and drew parallels between cities in the two countries:
“Astana is our Beijing, the country’s political centre. Almaty is the equivalent of Shanghai, accounting for over 20 per cent of Kazakhstan’s GDP; it is our financial and industrial hub. And our new city, Alatau, is the equivalent of Shenzhen. It is a city being developed from scratch and has a vital mission to attract global talent, capital and cutting-edge technologies, and to establish a special legal regime,” emphasised Kanat Bozumbaev.
Four areas of cooperation
At the meeting, the parties identified four key areas of cooperation between Alatau and Shenzhen, namely:
• trade and investment,
• the digital economy and AI,
• green energy (today, more than 80 per cent of transport in Shenzhen runs on new energy sources),
• as well as tourism and cultural exchanges.
More specifically, Kazakhstan intends to draw on Shenzhen’s expertise in cloud technologies, robotics and modern logistics solutions in the development of Alatau.
A marathon of negotiations
Following the meeting with Shenzhen’s leadership, the Kazakh delegation embarked on a marathon of B2B negotiations with leaders of the Chinese market.
At a meeting with Xu Zhongxian, President of China Resources Land Limited, Kanat Bozumbayev explained that the Constitutional Law of 8 May granted Alatau the status of a city of accelerated development.
Note: this grants the city council, under the leadership of the Prime Minister, the right to independently approve tax regimes and support measures, and to implement English law.
Furthermore, according to Bozumbayev, the business regulatory framework will be simplified as much as possible through the ‘one-stop shop’ principle – investors will only need to deal with a single managing organisation, and all administrative matters will be resolved through the issuing of licences, similar to the Dubai International Financial Centre (DIFC).
Xu Zhongxian, head of China Resources Land, emphasised that the company has long since moved away from piecemeal development and now offers a full cycle of services: from design to the operational management of entire districts.
“You provided information about the new Alatau city development project, and you found us – we believe this was a very wise choice. We therefore fully understand your request, and it is very clear to us exactly what needs to be done at this stage,” he assured.
Background: China Resources Land built the Nanshan district in Shenzhen, which is home to the headquarters of tech giants, including Tencent. It is here that a significant part of the city’s innovation-driven economy is concentrated. The developer also has experience in the design of the Xun’an district.
“Shenzhen’s technology and Kazakhstan’s resources – a natural partnership”
The meeting at the headquarters of the Funde-Gemdale Group investment group took on a completely different tone. Here, a huge, multi-tiered designer chandelier made up of hundreds of glass petals hung above the negotiating table.
The parties moved on to the negotiations and discussed smart cities, infrastructure and digital finance. Zhang Jun noted that Kazakhstan attracts investors with its stable energy sector, clear laws and favourable geography.
“We would like to work with Kazakhstan. You have abundant resources, a good electricity supply system and a clear regulatory framework. This makes the country an attractive prospect for investment,” he said.
According to him, Shenzhen has the capital, technology and vast experience in managing special economic zones. Alatau has resources, access to the entire Central Asian market and a strategic location. This makes the cities an ideal pairing for a new economic model: “Shenzhen’s technology plus manufacturing in Alatau”.
Background: Funde-Gemdale Group is a diversified investment and development group. The holding company operates in several business sectors and develops projects in the fields of artificial intelligence and digital finance, including tokenisation and virtual assets, whilst also investing in major technology ecosystems, such as Tencent and Baidu.
A crypto-city with tokens and digital currency
The next meeting took place with Sheng Ruisheng, Secretary to the Board of Directors of the financial and insurance giant Ping An Group. During the presentation on Alatau, Kanat Bozumbayev emphasised the city’s digital development.
He noted that the new city would become the region’s first digital hub, featuring a Smart City system and blockchain-based property registration.
“It will be a crypto-city with 100 per cent adoption of tokens, stablecoins and digital currencies. And it must have not only high-quality infrastructure, but also modern financial, insurance, healthcare and digital services,” he said.
Background: Ping An Group is one of China’s largest financial and insurance corporations, founded in 1988. The company operates in the fields of insurance, banking, asset management and medical technology. The holding company is one of the world’s largest financial groups.
Logistics hub and railway link to China
The final event of the day was a meeting at the headquarters of CIMC Group – a global leader in the manufacture of container, logistics and energy equipment. Chairman of the Board Mai Bolian welcomed the Kazakhstani delegation in person.
Kazakhstan proposed localising production or assembly in Alatau and establishing a logistics hub there. Bozumbayev noted that, in the initial phase, the city particularly needs the company’s modular solutions – rapidly erected structures for offices, halls of residence, warehouses and other infrastructure.
Following the meeting, the parties agreed to set up a permanent working group.
The meeting concluded with an official ceremony: CIMC President Gao Xiang and Alisher Abdykadyr, CEO of the state-owned Alatau City Authority, signed a strategic cooperation agreement.
Read more: https://tengrinews.kz/article/poisk-recepta-svoego-senczenia-kazaxstan-prezentoval-alatau-4139/