(Reporter Yuan Yin in Tokyo — November 25)At a government meeting on November 25, Kazakhstan’s Minister of Trade and Integration, Arman Shakkaliev, announced that the country is fully advancing the construction of five cross-border logistics hubs, covering key areas such as Central Asia, Khorgos, Caspian Sea ports, and the “Western Europe–Western China” corridor. With infrastructure improvements and the launch of several major investment projects, Kazakhstan is accelerating its path toward becoming a core transport and trade hub on the Eurasian continent.
Under the Transport and Logistics Potential Development Concept to 2030, Kazakhstan has defined the management structure and operational models of the five cross-border hubs, created a potential investment project portfolio, and is simultaneously improving infrastructure including electricity, water supply, road networks, and telecommunications. Trans-Caspian cargo volume has surged from 800,000 tons to 4.5 million tons over the past five years—an increase of sixfold—demonstrating the country’s growing logistics channel capacity.
At the Kazakhstan–Uzbekistan border, the “Central Asia” International Industrial Cooperation Center will obtain special economic zone status under the name “Turan.” The first phase—functional zoning and construction of production facilities—has been completed. The second phase will advance seven projects, including PVC products, drip irrigation systems, and agricultural processing. Total investment is 185.1 billion tenge (about USD 360 million), with 1,150 jobs expected to be created. Full operation is planned for 2026.
In the Khorgos hub, multiple special economic zones are expanding. The Cooperation Center SEZ is currently implementing 41 projects with total investment of 234.4 billion tenge (about USD 460 million). The Khorgos–Eastern Gate SEZ has registered 64 companies, and many industrial projects are operating or underway—covering wind power equipment, energy storage systems, metal products, and the construction of a China–Kazakhstan industrial city. Total investment exceeds 800 billion tenge (about USD 1.57 billion).
The “Eurasia” Cross-Border Trade Center, near Pavlodar Airport, focuses on building materials, furniture, glass, and oil and gas equipment. It plans 16 investment projects totaling 140 billion tenge (about USD 270 million) to further strengthen the industrial and trade functions of the West Kazakhstan region.
Along the Caspian Sea, construction of hubs at Aktau Port and Kuryk Port is progressing simultaneously. The container hub at Aktau Port is being built in cooperation with Lianyungang Inland Port and is expected to be completed by the end of 2026. At Kuryk Port, part of the “Sarzha” multipurpose maritime terminal has already begun operation, while other projects—including grain, chemical cargo, and logistics centers—are under construction.
Near the Karasu and Ak-Tilek border checkpoints, the logistics park along the Western Europe–Western China Corridor is implementing 18 projects with total investment of USD 385.2 million. These projects span construction, industry, agriculture, trade, tourism, and healthcare. The park area has expanded to 150 hectares and is expected to be upgraded to a special economic zone in 2026, increasing its capacity to handle cross-border logistics.
With these projects moving forward simultaneously across multiple regions, Kazakhstan is rapidly forming a high-capacity logistics network spanning land and sea corridors, providing strong support for its goal of becoming a key transport and trade hub in the Eurasian region.
