Jul 19, 2026
Formally, Kassym-Jomart Tokayev’s visit to China was a working visit. However, given the level of attention paid by the Chinese leadership, the intensity of the programme and the political outcomes, it can in fact be compared to an official visit. The President of Kazakhstan was one of the principal foreign guests at the World Artificial Intelligence Conference (WAIC 2026), addressing the opening ceremony immediately after Chinese President Xi Jinping.
It is symbolic that the talks between the President of Kazakhstan, Kassym-Jomart Tokayev, and Chinese President Xi Jinping, as well as his meetings with the heads of China’s largest technology companies, took place on the eve of the World Artificial Intelligence Conference (WAIC 2026) — one of the leading international forums for discussing the prospects for the development and regulation of artificial intelligence.
As a result of the visit, more than 70 commercial agreements totalling over $15 billion were signed. These include projects in the fields of artificial intelligence, digitalisation, data centre construction, electric vehicle manufacturing, robotics and the development of transport and logistics infrastructure. This package of agreements demonstrates the gradual transition of Kazakhstani-Chinese cooperation from a traditional model based on trade and infrastructure towards a technological partnership.
Flagship projects: what Kazakhstan offers the world
At a round-table discussion with Chinese business representatives, the Head of State presented Kazakhstan as an emerging hub for AI, digital infrastructure and ‘smart’ logistics. The key project is Data Centre Valley in Ekibastuz, which the President of Kazakhstan described as a unique strategic initiative and a future cornerstone of the country’s and the region’s digital infrastructure.
— We believe that this project will become a cornerstone of the digital infrastructure of Kazakhstan and the whole of Central Asia. Its main objective is to create a world-class platform for the development of data centres, cloud services and artificial intelligence infrastructure,” noted Kassym-Jomart Tokayev.
The second landmark project is the new city of Alatau, which will become a centre for talent, technology and investment in Eurasia.
“We are striving to create a comprehensive innovation ecosystem. This will bring together the capabilities of a supercomputer, an artificial intelligence laboratory, research organisations, educational programmes, start-ups and export-oriented digital services under one umbrella,” emphasised the President.
Yevgeny Pitolin, an expert in cybersecurity and digital technologies, believes that our country already possesses a number of advantages for establishing a regional AI hub.
— Kazakhstan has every chance of becoming a regional leader and a digital bridge between East and West. Data Centre Valley and the AI Research University are being established, Alem.AI is developing, and modern digital laws are being adopted. All of this is shaping a competitive ecosystem, — notes Yevgeny Pitolin.
Read more: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e07CWHG38ro