On October 28, the First China (Zhejiang)-Kazakhstan Entrepreneurs' Seminar and the Sixth China-Kazakhstan Economic and Social Research Forum were held with resounding success at the Xiasha Campus of Zhejiang University of Finance and Economics (ZUFE). The event convened over 20 entrepreneurs and scholars from Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan, along with more than 40 entrepreneurs from Zhejiang, to engage in substantive discussions focused on "Jointly Building a Digital Silk Road and Advancing Sino-Kazakh Collaboration". The seminar featured key speakers including Li Zhanrong, Vice President of ZUFE; Ge Xuebin, Vice President of China Council for the Promotion of International Trade (CCPIT), Zhejiang Provincial Committee; and Daurov, President of the Kazakhstan New Silk Road Association. These esteemed guests delivered opening remarks at the seminar. The Consulate General of China in Almaty and the Consulate General of Kazakhstan in Shanghai offered their congratulations via video message. The opening ceremony was presided by Lou Danqun, a member of ZUFE's Party Committee, who also heads the Organization Department, Publicity Department, and United Front Work Department.
Li Zhanrong highlighted the university's ongoing efforts to strengthening international engagement and collaboration.He underscored the significance of utilizing platforms, such as the Institute for Central Asia Studies, to facilitate comprehensive partnerships between Chinese and Kazakhstani businesses, universities, and research institutes. Additionally, he noted the importance of integrating industry and education, exploring international resources, and elevating ZUFE's openness in running schools.
Ge Xuebin pointed out that as we celebrate the tenth anniversary of the "Belt and Road" Initiative, CCPIT, Zhejiang Provincial Committee will capitalize on the fresh opportunities for collaboration with Central Asian countries. We place great emphasis on capacity collaboration and economic and trade exchanges between China and the nations of Central Asia.
Hussein Daurov, President of the Kazakhstan New Silk Road Association, underscored the importance of China and Kazakhstan as key trading and investment partners, celebrating the substantial collaborative achievements since the introduction of the Belt and Road Initiative and expressing optimism for its future impact.
Li Zhanrong and Ge Xuebin jointly unveiled the Institute for Central Asia Studies, ZUFE. This institute, a collaborative effort between our university and the CCPIT, Zhejiang Provincial Committee, is set to become a premier think tank for the study of Central Asian economic and trade affairs. It will also propel the endeavors under the Belt and Road Initiative in both Zhejiang Province and the Yangtze River Delta area. Additionally, the forum witnessed the establishment of China (Zhejiang)-Kazakhstan Entrepreneurs Industry-Academia-Research Cooperation Alliance, with ZUFE taking on the role of the secretariat. In keynote speech sessions, Lan Jianping, Vice President and Research Fellow at the Zhejiang Development and Planning Research Institute (ZDPRI), Zhang Ning, Director and Professor at the Russian and Central Asian Studies Office of the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences, and Professor Ada from L.N. Gumilyov Eurasian National University, each presented insightful reports. Their topics included digital economy, Kazakhstan's political and economic landscape, and the management of smart tourism. At the forum, 13 distinguished entrepreneurs, including Zou Hua, Vice President of the Zhejiang Youth Entrepreneurs' Association, and Wen Zhuoming, General Manager of Star Vision Hangzhou Ltd., discussed China-Kazakhstan exchanges in trade and investment, logistics, supply chain and other aspects. During the high-level interview, prominent figures such as Luo Linyong, Director of the Zhejiang Foreign Trade Service Center, Dauren Tynaral, Professor of Al-Farabi National University, Abdulaxitov Zafarjon, Professor of Uzbekistan National University, Ge Xuebing, Secretary of the Party Committee and Chairman of the Qiantang District Federation of Social Sciences in Hangzhou, and Yu Muhong, Dean of the Institute for Central Asia Studies, ZUFE, converged to explore the challenges and opportunities in China-Kazakhstan and China-Uzbekistan collaboration. They also delved into the issue of how to give full play to enterprises and universities in terms of advice offerings.
The seminar aimed to facilitate multi-dimensional collaboration between China and Kazakhstan in the fields of politics, industry, academia, and research, based on our unique educational features and platform strengths. It also sought to dismantle barriers to scientific research collaboration and commercial exchanges, ensuring that the university's studies on Central Asian issues effectively advances China-Kazakhstan capacity collaboration, thereby enhancing ZUFE's research and talent cultivation in a virtuous cycle. Participants from companies such as Baijiahui, Kingston, and Xinde Group expressed their willingness to actively support Central Asian research and cultural exchanges, offering internship and job opportunities to ZUFE's international students, and engaging in business interactions and collaborative efforts.
ZUFE, in October 2018, pioneered the establishment of China's first research center dedicated to the economic and social studies of Kazakhstan. Since its establishment, the center has actively engaged in research on Kazakhstan’s society and economy. ZUFE has concluded collaborative agreements with several esteemed institutions, including Kazakhstan National Eurasian University, Turan University, Karaganda Economic University, and the Astana International Financial Center. Currently, 620 Kazakh students are enrolled at ZUFE. In recent years, a significant number of graduated students have returned to their homeland, where they contribute as bridge-builders to the economic and social collaboration between China and Kazakhstan.
