Kazakh President Tokayev welcomes Xi at airport

Kazakh President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev welcomed Chinese President Xi Jinping at an airport in Astana on Tuesday.

Xi arrived in Astana at noon to attend the 24th Meeting of the Council of Heads of State of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO), and pay a state visit to Kazakhstan at the invitation of Tokayev.

Xi's plane was escorted by Kazakh Air Force fighter jets after it entered the country's airspace.

The SCO summit will be held in Astana on July 3-4, and China will take over the SCO rotating chair at the conclusion of the summit.

This is President Xi's fifth visit to Kazakhstan. During the visit, President Xi will have talks with President Tokayev on bilateral relations, cooperation in key areas, and the regional and international landscape.

Kazakhstan is the first leg of Xi's Central Asian tour from Tuesday to Saturday, and he will also pay a state visit to Tajikistan at the invitation of President Emomali Rahmon.

Kazakh President Tokayev welcomes Xi at airport

Kazakh President Tokayev welcomes Xi at airport

Kazakh President Tokayev welcomes Xi at airport

Kazakh President Tokayev welcomes Xi at airport

Kazakh President Tokayev welcomes Xi at airport

China has long played an active role in infrastructure development in Kazakhstan's energy sector, with the construction of the Turgusun and Moinak hydropower projects, for example.

Since 2006, the China Communications Construction Group Company Limited has made strides in Kazakhstan with the construction of the two hydropower projects.

Wang Haihuai, president of China Communications Construction Group Company Limited, discussed the impact of these projects and the company's forward-looking strategies.

"The China Communications Construction Group subsidiary, China International Water and Electric Corporation has built the Turgusun Hydropower Project and the Moinak Hydropower Plant. The Moinak Hydropower Plant is the first large scale hydropower station built in Kazakhstan since its independence, while the Turgusun Hydropower Project received specific acknowledgment from Chinese President Xi Jinping in his signed article for Kazakh media. These initiatives reduce annual carbon emissions by approximately one million tons, aiding Kazakhstan's goal of achieving carbon neutrality by 2060," said Wang.

With a combined annual electricity production exceeding 1.1 billion kilowatt hours, these projects significantly address Kazakhstan's pressing energy needs, Wang said, adding that they also train numerous professionals in Kazakh hydropower sector to ensure smooth operations post transfer.

Wang noted that they have also signed an agreement with Kazakhstan to construct the country's first pumped storage power plant, further supporting Kazakhstan's energy transition and showcasing the project's potential as a model for future development.

Looking ahead, the China Communications Construction Group is committed to deepening its collaboration with Kazakhstan, he said.

"We're focusing on three main areas to spark further prosperity in our next golden 30 years. We're ramping up cooperation in renewable energies like hydro, wind, solar and storage solutions, aiming for a greener transformation. With our expertise across a full spectrum of infrastructure -- roads, railways, ports and more, we're dedicated to enhancing links like the trans-Caspian international transport route and improving logistics and infrastructure development. By engaging in ecological and environmental projects, we're striving to create a better living environment together with the people of Kazakhstan," said Wang.

China to deepen collaboration with Kazakhstan in infrastructure, energy development