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Last updated at: (Beijing Time) Thursday, February 26, 2004

China & Kazakhstan to build a free border trade zone

As sources disclosed from the port administration of Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region China's free trade zone, the first of its kind since the introduction of reform and opening-up, is going to be built along its border with Kazakhstan.


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As sources disclosed from the port administration of Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region China's free trade zone, the first of its kind since the introduction of reform and opening-up, is going to be built along its border with Kazakhstan.

The China-Kazakhstan free border trade zone is located between the Yili Kazak Autonomous Prefecture, Xinjiang, and Alma-ata, Kazakhstan. During Chinese President Hu Jintao's visit to Kazakhstan in 2003, Nazarbayev, Kazakhstan president, proposed for the fourth time to his Chinese counterpart the plan to build a free trade zone along the borderline of the two countries.

As learned the scheme of Sino-Kazakhstan free trade zone put forward by China has received positive response from Kazakhstan. Jia Yisheng, secretary of the CPC committee in Horgos, said in an interview: " The Kazakhstan Ministry of Foreign Affairs, General Administration of Frontier and General Administration of Customs Supervision have all agreed to build a Sino-Kazakhstan world trade center in the 200 hectares between China's Horgos and Kazakhstan."

As Jia briefed, enclosed management, zero tariff and free flow of people and goods would all be introduced in the free trade zone.

It is learned that China has offered 130 hectares while Kazakhstan contributed 70 hectares for the free trade zone. The Chinese side is mapping out a plan for the free trade zone.

Jia also disclosed that 8 to 9 IT enterprises would like to move into Horgos. The world's biggest sofa manufacturer, Kasen from Zhejiang province has already settled down in Horgos and pumped more than 200m yuan into the area for the initial investment.

It is also learned that Kazakhstan has pinned high hope on Horgos, Dulata, and Muzhate and decision has been made to build a railway to get it connected with Horgos in 2006.

Insiders attributed the construction of this free trade zone to China's WTO membership and closer economic ties between members of Shanghai Cooperative Organization. The five Middle Asian countries vary economically while China's economic advantage is evident. The China-Kazakhstan border free trade zone will lay a good foundation for China's enterprises and products marching into the Middle Asian, West Asian and European market.

By People's Daily Online


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