Background

Building of “One Belt and One Road”(short for OBOR), as a significant cooperation idea proposed by Chinese President Xi Jinping in his speech at Nazarbayev University, Kazakhstan in 2013, is a new economic development zone on the basis of the “Ancient Silk Road”. OBOR facilitates China to form a new pattern of comprehensive opening-up while accelerated building of the initiative is beneficial for promoting economic prosperity of all involved countries and regional economic cooperation. OBOR is both a win-win cooperation path to promote mutual development and realize mutual prosperity and a peace and friendship path to enhance understanding and trust and strengthen all-round communications. The initiative of the Chinese government, made on the basis of the concepts of peace and cooperation, openness and inclusiveness, learning from each other and mutual benefit and win-win, is aimed at comprehensively promoting practical cooperation and creating the community of common interests, destiny and responsibility with political mutual trust, economic integration and cultural inclusiveness.

As one of the most important economy in Central Asia, Kazakhstan is an important strategic partner in implementing OBOR Initiative. Located at the center of Eurasia, Kazakhstan is highly significant as a strategic pivot. It is not only an important strategic partner to China, but also a member of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO). China and Kazakhstan manage to achieve a high level of mutual trust and a sound foundation for cooperation. Kazakhstan is now endowed with rapid growth, with its per capita GDP topping USD 12 thousand and global competitiveness ascending to 42nd. Its joining WTO in 2015 has set sound conditions for foreign investment attraction and economic development.

Leaders of both China and Kazakhstan attach great importance to the building of OBOR. Kazakh President Nazarbayev proposed a new economic policy called the “Bright Road” in his State Message 2015 and explained that it is an important supplement and alignment with OBOR initiative. The core of the “Bright Road” lies in strengthening traffic infrastructure construction, realizing connectivity in the fields of traffic, logistics and telecommunication, promoting national economic growth and creating new employment so as to add new motive forces for future development of the two countries. Infrastructure construction is deemed as priority of priorities in the cooperation between China and Kazakhstan. In line with the national development strategies and implementation measures already issued and confirmed by China and Kazakhstan, the construction areas both sides show interest in cover capacity cooperation, highway, railway, port, oil and gas pipeline, power and residence building. The highly complementary aspects between China and Kazakhstan include capacity cooperation, infrastructure, regional development and structural adjustment. Both China and Kazakhstan, while attaching importance to the alignment between OBOR and the “Bright Road” and the development of infrastructure, should focus on cooperation in capacity, trade, energy, technology, information and financing and investment.

Actively promoted by Chinese Academy of Social Sciences and greatly supported by the People’s Government of Jiangyin City, Jiangsu Province, the International Symposium on China-Kazakhstan Cooperation and Development in the “One Belt and One Road” Strategy co-sponsored by the CASS-RDI Project, the Kazakhstan Institute of Economics Research and DeHeng Law Offices, China will be held from April 6-8, 2016, during which representatives from governments, congresses, Think Tanks and enterprises

will be invited to conduct exchanges and discussions on deepening China-Kazakhstan cooperation.

It is of special significance to select Jiangyin City of Jiangsu Province as the venue of the symposium. By fully leveraging opportunities of the Reform and Opening up and the “going global” strategy of Chinese enterprises, Jiangyin, starting with localized township enterprises, has been dedicated to the development of private economy, established as the bellwether of township economy and hailed as “China’s First County of Capital”. The development of over 3 decades has enabled it to secure the top place for 14 successive years in the Ranking of Basic Competitiveness of China’s County-level Economy. The city now sees 36 listed companies covering manufacturing, textile, new energy, chemicals, medicine and infrastructure. An insight into the enterprises of Jiangyin helps all participating represents to enrich their comprehension on the Reform and Opening-up Policy of China and the development of private enterprises and explore partnership opportunities with relevant industries.

Objectives and Expected Outcomes

1. Discussing the significance and modes of connecting OBOR with “Bright Road” initiative;

2. Promoting coooperation between enterprises from China and Kazakhstan;

3. Establishing CASS- RDI China-Kazakhstan expert committee.

Hosting insittutes

Institute of Russian, Eastern European & Central Asian Studies,

National Institute of International Strategy, CASS

Research and Development International , Chinese Academy of Social Sciences (CASS-RDI)

Economic Research Institute, Kazakhstan

Deheng Law Office, China

People’s Government of Jiangyin City, Jiangsu Province, P.R. of China

Draft Agenda

April 5 (Tuesday) Registration

April 6 (Wednesday)

09 : 00 - 10 : 00

Opening Ceremony

10 : 00 - 10 : 30

Group Photo and Coffee Break

10 : 30 - 12 : 00

Keynote Speeches

- China’s Belt and Road Initiative and Cooperation with Kazakhstan

- Cooperation and Development of Kazakhstan’s “Bright Road” initiative and China’s “One Belt and One Road” initiative

12 : 00 - 14 : 00

Lunch and Noon Break

14 : 00 - 16 : 00

1st Panel Discussion: KazahstanEcononomic Conditions in the New International Environment and Cooperation Opportunities between China and Kazakhstan

16 : 00 - 16 : 15

Coffee Break

16 : 15 - 18 : 15

2nd Panel Discussion: Status Quo of Chinese Economies and China-Kazakhstan Cooperation Prospect

18 : 30 -

Welcome Dinner

April 7 (Thursday)

09 : 00 – 12: 30

Field trip and communication: all the delegates divided into five groups according to classification of industries (proposed classification: manufacture, textile, chemical industry, pharmaceuticals, new energy)

12 : 30 - 14 : 00

Lunch at the field trip site and in-depth communication between delegates

14 : 00 - 16 : 00

3rd Panel Discussion: Needs for Development and Project Cooperation between China and Kazakhstan (1)

16 : 00 - 16 : 15

Coffee Break

16 : 15 - 18 : 15

4th Panel Discussion: Needs for Development and Project Cooperation between China and Kazakhstan (2)

18 : 30 -

Buffet Dinner

April 8 (Friday)

09 : 00 - 10 : 30

5th Panel Discussion: Investment and Financial Cooperation under the Framework of “One Belt and One Road” initiative

10 : 30 - 10 : 45

Coffee Break

10 : 45 - 12 : 35

Implementation of China-Kazakhstan Cooperation

12 : 00 - 14 : 00

Lunch and Noon Break

14 : 00 - 15 : 45

Closing ceremony

15 : 45 - 16: 00

Coffee Break

16 : 00 - 17: 00

Press Release

April 9 (Saturday) Departure