China-Kazakhstan agricultural cooperation park boosts local socioeconomic development

An agricultural industrial park built by a Chinese enterprise in Kazakhstan's North Kazakhstan Region, also an iconic cooperation project under the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI), has brought huge socioeconomic development to the region.

The Aiju Agricultural Product Logistics Processing Park, invested by the Xi'an Aiju Grain and Oil Industrial Group, was officially put into operation in Kazakhstan at the end of 2016.

For staff member Manshuk Zarhan, the establishment of the industrial park has greatly improved her life. Her work starts with quality inspection of rapeseed and rapeseed oil every day.

"We use this probe to select samples for quality check. We need to select samples in several layers. We collect the rapeseed at about 40 centimeters deep. We need to collect 200 milliliters of sample, then we measure the oleic acid content and moisture content in the sample in the laboratory," said Zarhan, laboratory chief of the park.

Since 2016, the Aiju Group has promoted an order-based agricultural planting mode in Kazakhstan. Relying on the demands of the vast Chinese market, the company provides Kazakh farmers with customized planting orders at guaranteed purchase prices, which has helped the farmers increase their incomes and expand their exports.

The Chinese side has also launched a China-Europe freight train route for transporting locally produced goods and is continuously expanding its capacity.

Currently, the transportation time for wheat and other raw materials from Kazakhstan to Xi'an City, capital of northwest China's Shaanxi Province has been shortened from 25 days to 10 days, and the train's capacity has increased from 1,066 tons to 1,612 tons per trip.

"We originally invested in building three railway lines, and the fourth is under construction. After the completion of four railways, three freight trains can stop there, and plus the distribution center, we can store or provide 200 to 300 containers for special freight trains. This forms a system that can meet all needs of loading and shipping in railway transportation," said Jia Heyi, head of the Chinese enterprise.

According to Zarhan, eight years ago, upon learning about the construction of the China-Kazakhstan cooperation park, she promptly decided to move here with her family.

"We used to live nearby, and for the 10 years before we moved in, my husband was always on business trips. The kids were very young, and he couldn't be with them as they grew up. Then we moved here and finally we could work for the same company. I was the lab manager, and he was the raw material receiver," she said.

The project has created jobs for more than 1,500 people in the region and changed the lives of many local people.

"The welfare facilities here are very good. Housing is provided for employees. The new houses are built by the company. Dormitories, transportation and meals are also provided," said Marmite, a laboratory technician at the logistics and processing park.

China-Kazakhstan agricultural cooperation park boosts local socioeconomic development

China-Kazakhstan agricultural cooperation park boosts local socioeconomic development

Iranian Foreign Minister Seyyed Abbas Araghchi has described the swift changes in Syria as a surprise to all parties, including former President Bashar al-Assad, while cautioning external powers against interfering in the country's internal affairs.

The remarks follow a dramatic turn of events on Dec. 8 last year when Syrian rebel forces captured the capital, Damascus, forcing Assad to flee to Russia.

In the wake of these events, Araghchi visited China from Dec. 27 to 28, where he held talks with Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi in Beijing.

In an interview with China Media Group (CMG), which aired on Friday, Araghchi shared his insights on the recent upheaval and outlined Iran's perspective on Syria's future.

"We had known for a few months that the Syrian opposition was organizing forces and planning new military actions. We shared this intelligence with the Syrian government, and, as far as we know, Russia also provided similar information. In any case, we were aware of the potential developments in Syria. However, the situation unfolded so rapidly, and the Syrian army offered no resistance -- something that no one, not even Bashar al-Assad himself, had anticipated," Araghchi said.

He emphasized the importance of regional cooperation in helping Syria maintain its sovereignty and territorial integrity, while stressing that Syria's future must be decided by its own people.

"Countries in the region must unite and help Syria establish a broad, inclusive government that represents all ethnic groups and factions. The sovereignty and territorial integrity of Syria must be preserved. Syria should not become a gathering place or safe haven for terrorists, nor should it pose a threat to its neighbors and other countries in the region. This principle is shared by all countries in the region regarding the current situation in Syria. External powers should not interfere in Syria's internal affairs. The future of Syria must be decided by its own people, as they are the true masters of the country and its destiny. Our role is to assist them once they make the right decisions. We hope to see a peaceful, stable Syria, one that is friendly to its neighbors," Araghchi said.

Further elaborating on Iran's position, Araghchi stated that Iran is waiting for Syria to stabilize and announce its new foreign policies.

"We are waiting for the Syrian transitional government to announce its policies toward other countries in the region and beyond, and for the government to stabilize itself. What we are looking at is not superficial changes or slogans, but tangible actions. Our engagement with the Syrian transitional government will depend on its actions. Iran is acting with complete goodwill, and we hope for Syria's stability. We'd like to help Syria achieve stability and ensure the safety of all its communities, including Shiites, Sunnis, Arabs, and Kurds," said the Foreign Minister.

Swift changes in Syria took everyone by surprise: Iranian FM