Xi Jinping holds talks with Vladimir Putin on the sidelines of SCO in Kazakhstan

In May, Putin and Xi Jinping pledged to deepen the China-Russia comprehensive strategic partnership, including by strengthening military and defense ties. At the same time, China has expanded its presence in Central Asia, traditionally part of Russia's sphere of influence.

Last year, China overtook Russia to become Kazakhstan's largest trading partner, with bilateral trade exceeding $41 billion.

China is ready to work closely with Kazakhstan within the framework of the United Nations and other multilateral organizations, practice true multilateralism and safeguard the common interests of the two countries and developing countries, Xi was quoted as saying by the official Xinhua news agency.

China supports Kazakhstan in joining the BRICS cooperation mechanism, playing the role of a middle power on the international stage and making contributions to global governance.

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Xi also pledged to strengthen economic and technological cooperation with Kazakhstan, ranging from traditional energy, agriculture and minerals to new areas such as electric vehicles, new energy, cross-border e-commerce and satellite communications.

Tokayev said that cooperation between China and Kazakhstan is in a golden age.

Deepening friendly and strategic cooperation with China is an unswerving strategic priority for Kazakhstan, Tokayev was quoted as saying by Xinhua.

Temur Umarov, a fellow at the Russia-Eurasia Center at the Washington-based Carnegie Endowment for International Peace, said Kazakhstan and Tajikistan are unique security partners for China.

I think Xi Jinping is trying to make the most of his visit to the region, he said.

Kazakhstan shares a border of more than 1,700 km (1,056 miles) with China's northwest Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region, and Astana is seen as a major partner by Beijing in its crackdown on terrorism in Xinjiang.

Beijing launched the crackdown in 2016 after what it said were decades of ethnic tensions and unrest in Xinjiang, as well as cross-border terrorist militant activity.

Kazakhstan was also one of the five original members of the Shanghai Five bloc, which later became the SCO after Uzbekistan joined in 2001.

The group has since expanded its membership to include India, Pakistan and Iran, and allowed several countries, including Turkey and Saudi Arabia, to join the dialogue. Its functions have also expanded to cover broader issues, including industrial chain security and economic cooperation.

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Wang Yiwei, a professor of international relations at Renmin University, said Kazakhstan is seeking closer ties with China following Russia's invasion of Ukraine, especially economically.

Astana hopes to balance [dependence on Russia] with the help of China, because since the conflict between Russia and Ukraine, the countries of Central Asia have felt a growing sense of insecurity, he said.

Wang added that Kazakhstan relies on China to improve its production capacity, introduce more digital technologies and develop e-commerce.

The total value of Chinese direct investment in Kazakhstan amounted to nearly US$7 billion by the end of 2021, according to China's Ministry of Commerce.

Astana has also been a major promoter of a railway line linking China to Europe via Kazakhstan, giving the landlocked country access to the sea.

The railway is part of the so-called Trans-Caspian international transport route, which carries goods through Kazakhstan, the Caspian Sea, Azerbaijan, Georgia, Turkey and the Black Sea to Europe, bypassing Russia.

Many European and Chinese traders, fearing sanctions or being seen as friends of Russia, are also eyeing the Caspian Sea route.

Xi Jinping gave his support to the route in 2022, pledging to accelerate the construction of the Caspian Sea route as part of the Belt and Road Initiative.

On Wednesday, Xi and Tokayev participated in the opening of the China-Europe Trans-Caspian Express via video link, watching the first Chinese trucks arrive via the highway at a Caspian Sea port.