Analysis of China's Economic Strategy and Foreign Policy in Kazakhstan, 2020

The issue of China's growing influence in Kazakhstan becomes increasingly relevant each year. The PRC is one of Kazakhstan's key foreign economic partners. There is a strategic necessity for a systematic and comprehensive study of China. Alongside this, there is a need for strengthening and creating new platforms and mechanisms for interaction between the expert community, business structures, government apparatus, and universities in this research direction.

Currently, in Kazakhstan, there are no comprehensive studies that provide an understanding of the fundamental processes occurring in China's foreign and economic policy. It is also important to understand the domestic political and economic situation within the PRC, which has a certain impact on Kazakhstan. In particular, the analysis of strategic programs such as "Made in China 2025", energy policy, demographic development in Xinjiang, and environmental issues deserves special attention.

The "Center for Applied Research TALAP", in collaboration with the Konrad Adenauer Foundation, initiated the study "Analysis of China's Economic Strategy and Foreign Policy in Kazakhstan". The main objectives of the study were:

• Identifying the role of Chinese investments in the development of Kazakhstan's economy and determining the level of dependence on Chinese investors;
• Assessing the impact of Chinese labor on the labor market of the Republic of Kazakhstan;
• Developing a China Perception Index in Kazakhstan;
• Formulating recommendations for further interaction between Kazakhstan and China.

Various approaches were used to prepare the study: desk research, sociological surveys, focus groups, and content analysis.

The features of this study included conducting for the first time a sociological survey of 2,500 citizens of Kazakhstan and a questionnaire survey of experts regarding attitudes towards China, as well as organizing focus groups with entrepreneurs and industry experts from various regions of the country. The results of the surveys, as well as the opinions and expert positions expressed in the focus groups, are reflected in all sections of the report. Researchers also conducted a content analysis of a number of Kazakhstani media on the main theme of the study.

This text was translated with the help of the artificial intelligence ChatGPT