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.
Well-being of the population of Central Asia for many centuries, ensured by Great silk way leading from China to Europe and the States of the Middle East.
There were centuries when the internal instability in neighboring with China khanates turned around the closing of caravan routes. And then it became a disaster for many people whose lives and livelihoods are provided through trade with China. And now, in the twenty-first century, Kazakhstan opens again for itself and their neighbors, the Great Silk Way. With the building completion of the International Centre of boundary trade and the railway Zhetygen-Horgos increases the attractiveness of People’s National Republic of China for its trade partners from Europe and the Mediterranean see.
Today in mass media of Russia, Kazakhstan and Belarus are endless discussions on the theme - The Customs Union is beneficial or not. We will not try to join to disputants, I would like only one completely concrete example to show new shoots, which are already appearing in our common space. Changes are coming soon. And for the same Russian and Belarusian businessmen in the near future, China, with its rapidly increasing pace of the economy, could become more attractive trading partner.
Large Chinese market
September 15, Prime Minister of our country visited to the People’s Republic o China. Before he visited the newly built on the territory of International Center of Boundary Cooperation (ICBC) Horgos, where journalists already waited for him.
And here we should make a special accent. What is ICBC? In fact, it is being created modern city on both sides, where will be allocate the exhibition of goods produced in China, and Kazakhstan. In the near future keepers from Customs Union would be no need to go into the inner China in search of things they need. All that is required, they will find in the territory of the city, stretching for more than five hundred hectares of Kazakh-Chinese border land. It will be built hotels, restaurants, exhibition halls, amusement parks, ethnographic Chinese village and the Kazakh aul. A special mode allows for businessman within thirty days of visa-free stay in a hotel in the center. And ICBC - is still only a working title. People are likely to give another name. Maybe in the future this place will call "the big Chinese market", "Shanghai" or "Central Asia’s market, who knows ... but the railways and roads leading to the center, already under construction.
And here, in the FEZ (Free Economic Zone. - Ed.) Will situate conforming modern production, oriented on export f products in all geographic areas, almost all countries of the world.
Prime Minister Karim Masimov asked the accompanying him Minister of Transport and Communications Abilgazi Kusainov, as is the railroad Zhetygen - Khorgos. And he reported to the Prime Minister that by 2012 the railway line will be laid to Khorgos.
The Silk Road: rebuilding
Upon completion of the construction of a railway Zhetygen - Khorgos and high way Western China - Western Europe products from inner China will go through Kazakhstan to the Russian Federation and from there to Belarus, Ukraine and Europe.
Another direction of the railway will facilitate the delivery of goods by rail in Turkey and the Mediterranean Sea countries. And finally, another area will give us access to Turkmenistan, Iran and Arabic countries. Thus, there is a revival of the Silk Way, which will undoubtedly impact positively on the economic development of Kazakhstan and the States of the Customs Union.
Monitor of the president of JSC "Kazakhstan Temir Joly" Erhat Eskaliev: "Naturally, the establishment and proper functioning of the Silk Road, it will be hard to compete in a price sector of sea freight. But as far as speed of delivery of goods, shipping can not make a competition. If you take goods from the ocean inland ports of China to the European market, it takes forty five days. We deliver goods by rail for the twelve - thirteen days. That is, the delivery time is reduced to three times. For many keepers it is paramount importance. Money does not freeze. This is especially true for perishable and quickly coming out of fashion goods. On the other hand, by the Chinese to benefit the construction of a railway Zhetygen - Khorgos. This will allow them to link railroads running across China, with the Kazakhstani railway. The mode of transmission increases. As you know, Dostyk has its limitation. For the year through it can take no more than fifteen million tons of cargo. And through Khorgos already by 2025 can be further transported to the twenty-five million tons of profitable freight . And it's very, very significant figure. "
I know the city will be ...
Meanwhile, the construction of communications and infrastructure of ICBC is taking its course. The Chinese side has completed their work at ninety percent, Kazakhstan - the seventy percent of the planned volumes. Putting engineering communications, light, heat, boiler is constructing, erected a large modern customs complex.
At the same time, as one of the worker of enterprise Almatygorstroy "Alpys Bisembekov, wages are paid regularly, on time 26 of each month. And anyway, everyone here is well-organized. In short, people do not work on the enthusiasm, they fight for their hard-earned money. That in many cases leads to the most optimal results.
The construction of ICBC responded local housing market. And if before the land in the Horgos area cost a penny, now the price of house building has come close to Almaty prices. That for such a remote area has about two years ago seemed unthinkable thing. In the nearest town to Khorgos Zharkent build hotels, restaurants, and, according to local keepers, today they do not complain have a lack of customers. And what will happen tomorrow, when the International Centre of Boundary cooperation begin working?
Money, money, money ...
However, the phrase "what will happen tomorrow?" sounds in our case too optimistic. If we take into account that by the end of 2012 will be completed only the construction of infrastructure facilities of ICBC, railway and highway. A further construction of recreational, industrial and exhibition complexes in the territory of an international center - this is the work of keepers, which attract benefit terms. Including the large "money bags" from Russia and Belarus, which, of course, will eventually not only recoup their investments, but also a fabulous profit.
Thus, Kazakhstan receives a modern border mega polis of international level. But the main thing - the city is built and develop at the expense of investors who provided a great opportunity to gather the fruits of growth in foreign trade of China. In the near future businessmen from the Customs Union will be able to deliver the goods produced and purchased in the International Center of Boundary trade Khorgos in their republic and Europe.
President of JSC ICBC Khorgos Gabdulhakim Zhashibekov thinks about it. "Today - he says - we are working hard to attract investors. The question of free economic zone is studied. Work is proceeding on the establishment of free economic zones. For what Prime Minister has come. On the territory of ICBC in its production part, we think open an industry. Today Russia, Belarus, Tatarstan and other republics interested in it. ICBC - this is a closed area, where will situate the Chinese and our trade and exhibition halls. There is an opportunity to transact directly. That is, kippers from Kazakhstan, Russia and Belarus, no need to go into the inner China. Without any visas they can make all necessary purchases directly here, in Horgas. That is very convenient. "
Here again we ask to speak to the had of the department of customs control of the Almaty region, part of the government delegation accompanying the prime minister, Kurmanbek Artykbaev."Today – he shares become painful, - customs revenues form half of the national budget. But if the customs post Khorgos these days passes up to one hundred and fifty freight wagons per day, with the completion of the ICBC, this figure had tripled. Will have the opportunity daily to pass through customs terminals up to five hundred vehicles. Twenty thousand persons can pass during the day territory of the International Center of Boundary Cooperation. It will be possible to develop tourism. People from Kazakhstan, without receiving the visa, can visit the Chinese village, in turn, Chinese tourists will be able to visit the Kazakh ethnographic aul, which is also located on the territory of ICBC.
And then, we should not forget that the trade - is an engine of progress. Therefore, I believe, further development of economic relations with China will help strengthen our relationship with China, and on the other hand, will bring significant benefits to States - members of the customs union. "
Asian Courchevel
Whatever you say, but to compete to Russia and Kazakhstan to China is difficult. Low l costs of labor and investment appeal of Heavenly Empire doing their part: the markets of Russia and Kazakhstan overwhelmed with Chinese products. As a result - your own producer of commodities can not stand up.
ICBC - it is a bold attempt to enter the vast Chinese market with their own products. As world experience shows, for solving such problems is not enough declaring of plans, with China need to work purposefully. Including through the boundary town, where there is a whole infrastructure, not only for business work, but also for recreation. Such an approach has already become the international standard in other countries. To cite the example of European Courchevel, where keepers from around the world first came to rest, but unwittingly switched to a discussion of business proposals. As a result, a winter resort in the Alps quickly turned into a business incubator.
Additional incentive could be the fact that China, after the global crisis, has decided to balance its own economic policy. If the first factor in the growth of GDP for Beijing were foreign markets - the U.S. and Europe, which closed on the "wave" of financial crisis, but now the emphasis is on domestic consumers - for the Chinese middle class. Therefore, China's leaders should be interested in joint ventures focused on its market. This is evidenced by the fact that China supported the construction of ICBC on its part.
Beijing is interested in cooperation with the countries of the Customs Union. The last thirty years have the fruits of reform reaped in the general population of the eastern provinces of the neighboring state, where rised not only the economy but also peoples’ living standards. It is enough to say that today, Shanghai reminds the Western city. On this situation indicates not only skyscrapers, but a way of life of people in the metropolis. Here increases the number of "white" and "gray" collates - the middle class who pay more attention to their own professional development and health.
However, the Western Province of the Heavenly Empire is still lagging behind the eastern regions of the pace of its development .Beijing can reduce such a gap may due to active economic cooperation with customs Union. In fact, these neighboring countries advocate for China analog of markets of the United States and United Europe. They provide increase of production in the Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region of China, speaking at the same time as guarantors of peace and tranquility in its western provinces.
Serik Maleev, Zamir Karazhanov, photo by Alexandra KANTSEDALOVA, Almaty
Daily Republican socio - political newspaper LITER.
