Minister of Transport Marat Karabayev commented on the concerns of carriers against the backdrop of the ratified agreement with China during a briefing on June 11. According to him, Kazakhstan currently has all the opportunities to become a transit hub.
Journalists asked the minister how the ratified agreement with China on international road transport would affect Kazakh carriers.
"I consider the agreement signed with the PRC to be an absolute victory for Kazakhstan. Only Kazakh carriers have this right. China has never allowed any country access to its market. Kazakhstan is the first country that has the right to enter deep into China. To the ports, whether it's Qingdao or Shanghai. We arrive, pick up cargoes faster. As for the question of whether there will be more Chinese trucks - this is unacceptable," the minister replied.
According to him, this is due to the fact that the entry of Chinese and Kazakh trucks into the territories of our countries is regulated by foreign permits.
"Last year, there was an exchange of 150,000 permits - used by Kazakh carriers. They entered the territory of the PRC 150,000 times. Chinese trucks only 1,600 times. Do you see the difference? And this year we have 200,000 trucks," added Marat Karabayev.
On May 29, the Mazhilis ratified the agreement between the governments of Kazakhstan and China on international road transport.
It was also previously announced that the automobile checkpoints at the border with China will cease operations from June 10, 2024.
