The Khorgos International Centre of Boundary Cooperation JSC is a public company established under the Agreements between the Government of the Republic of Kazakhstan and Government of the People's Republic of China for the purpose of creation of the Khorgos International Center for Transfrontier Cooperation at the Kazakhstan and China border in the Panfilov district of Almaty region.
Building on border of Kazakhstan with China the Interstate center of boundary cooperation "Horgos" causes many questions in readers. Since the simple: «What for it is necessary?» And finishing: whether «is there state money will be allocated as it should? » The president of JSC "ICBC" Horgos Gabdul Hakim Zhashibekov has told about a today's state of affairs in this scale project to Kazkpravda»
– Gabdul Hakim Baltashevich why and who had this idea – to construct on the border the center of business cooperation of two states?
– That China for Kazakhstan is one of key trade and economic partners, I think, it is not necessary to explain to anybody. But at all dynamics of growth of volume of trade turnover between our countries these volumes nevertheless don't reflect for the present the latent real possibilities of our mutual relations in trading sphere. One of the main braking factors are absence of a modern infrastructure of the boundary transitions, the certain costs connected with crossing of frontier, feature of an investment climate of frontier regions, absence of accessible and qualitative service. And as the result – to the full isn't opened potential of our republic in system of the international traffic flow, and because of geopolitical position of the state it is very high.
The understanding of it also was an impulse to signing in 2005 of the intergovernmental agreement on creation and activity of the Interstate center of boundary cooperation "Horgos". In December, 2006 during visit of the Head of the state to the Peoples Republic of China the report according to which the area of the center from the Kazakhstan party has been increased from 120 to 185 hectares has been signed. From the Chinese party 343 hectares are allocated.
Idea of all project that in territory of ICBC "Horgos" the special legal regime for conducting frontier trade, and not only from the Peoples Republic of China, but also with other countries will operate. For example, here will be provided visa-free stay within 30 days, creation of a special economic zone is planned.
Center creation, inherently, is one of stages of practical realization of even more scale project of a transcontinental corridor the Western Europe – the Western China. And Kazakhstan has a chance to play in it a key role. Agree that missing such chance it would be purblind.
– And what financial investments will be demanded by project realization?
– I can tell that since 2005 its cost already was some times corrected. That in general it is normal taking into account scale of the project and vital realities, for example, such as world financial crisis. Last calculation of requirement of building in budgetary investments has shown that is required an order of 73,7 billion tenge. Plus is planned to involve 309, 2 billion tenge of private investments. The sums, of course the big. But it is necessary to consider that they can’t compare with dividends which Kazakhstan can receive, having constructed in the territory the gates of a transcontinental corridor of China to Europe.
Besides obvious growth of export of the Kazakhstan goods and substantial growth of budgetary receipts at the expense of growth of volumes of traffic flow through our republic, project realization becomes a push to creation special techno park zones on all extent of this transport corridor, to development of an industrially-innovative infrastructure of boundary territories of Kazakhstan. The most part of budget money will go on designing and building of objects of an infrastructure of the center.
– And when the center will begin to work full?
– According to the report signed by the Ministry of the industry and new technologies of RK with national government SUAR of the Peoples Republic of China, joint opening of the center is appointed to July, 1st, 2011. To this term we plan to finish completely three investment objects – two terminals and the test center with laboratories. In total production program provides building of 106 objects, and from them 20 are already constructed and accepted by the working commission, and 26 are in a building stage. Among the finished objects there are many of an infrastructure – bridges and crossover , high-tension lines, communications of connection, water supply, a heat supply and the gutter, strengthening sill protection, roads.
In the perspective on the basis of ICBC "Horgos" the transport-logistical complex consisting of so-called dry port where there will be terminals, the logistical center, the sanitary-quarantine point, the automated warehouses will be created. In administrative-business center – offices, banks, hotels. We give special attention to equipment of all objects by the modern highly technological equipment. First of all it will concern the transport-logistical terminal. The beginning of full-scale functioning of ICBC "Horgos» together with the Chinese part have defined 2018 year. So now building is developed and goes at full speed.
– I should ask about that scandal story because of which your predecessor has become under investigation …
– Yes, I understand. It is very unpleasant to me to speak about it, but it is necessary to recognize that at project start by a former management of joint-stock company "ICBC" Horgos”some negative moments have been admitted. But after this year the project has been transferred to MINT and to operate joint-stock company the new command has come, questions of efficiency using of allocated money resources are on constant control. Careful and target use of budgetary funds became one of key directions in our activity. But it is valid, concerning former project heads for illegal use of budgetary funds in 2008-2009 some criminal cases are raised. I should recognize it. But we work in another way.
– And what benefit will be for any person from Kazakhstan after the center will open?
– The main thing that will give the interstate center of boundary cooperation, – it possibility of free moving within its borders of citizens of Kazakhstan, China and the third countries. Here will be created all conditions to hold business meetings, negotiations to get acquainted with production made by our countries, to conclude transactions. And all it without superfluous expenses for moving in the country and the visa. We consider that from the moment of center input in operation, roughly in 2012, the quantity of its visitors will make an order of 9-10 thousand persons. Maximum capacity of the center by the time of full end of building will be about 30 thousand persons a day. And prospective number of attendants – about 6 thousand persons. First, all is workplaces for people from Kazakhstan and a powerful push to development of all frontier region. Secondly, any person from Kazakhstan, having visited the center, can duty-free make purchases for the sum of one thousand dollars. For the budget of modestly living person it will give the big economy, even with the account that it should go to Horgos. Besides it is impossible to dismiss that it will be a high-grade trip abroad, and without visa registration – after all more than three hundred hectares of the Chinese territory is very much. I think that all Kazakhstan people will estimate it.
Stepan LEMESHEV
JSC "Republican newspaper "the Kazakhstan Truth"
