A.I.
Shaltykov
Doctor
of Political Sciences, Professor
China
- one of the major external actors of Kazakhstan
In
modern world the national security goals providing is impossible without close
cooperation and collaboration between countries, with having no established
good-neighborly relations in between. It is in this direction Kazakhstan builds
its relations with neighboring states. Kazakhstan is obliges because of its
unique geopolitical position, and the demand to confront challenges and threats
of XXI century.
Proceeding
from above, the President of the Republic of Kazakhstan directed to develop and implement the basic treaties and agreements with these countries
in order to ensure security of Kazakhstan and to create favorable conditions to
reform within the country. "Our further integration, - Mr. N. Nazarbayev
noted in the Message of February 18, 2005, - is the way to stability and
progress in the region, economic, military and political independence. Only through
these actions we will ensure national security, create favorable context to
implement plans of state-building "(1).
China
is one of the largest countries in the world. Now it more and more confidently
positions itself in all spheres: in the process of globalization of the economy
it seems a gigantic but still untapped market; in solving regional conflicts CPR’
position is gaining greater weight.
China
– is the country with an ancient history and culture that shaped the secular
principles of political governance, the relationship between society and the
government. These features are fundamentally different from the usual and
well-established European ideas about the state and the governors.
Thus,
China is huge countries, which for the last 20 years has raised its economy
saturate all markets of the world with its products and became one of the
leading world powers.
So, it is no accident that one of
the priorities of Kazakhstan's foreign policy is to cooperate with China. China
– is one of the major external actors affecting the national security and
economic development of Kazakhstan. It is the "key" to turn
Kazakhstan into transport hub of Eurasia. China’ Lianyungang seaport on the
East Coast is connected by railway with the port of Bender-Abbas in Persian
Gulf through Urumqi, Almaty, Tashkent and Tehran. This ensures access of Central
Asian’ countries to the open seas, and in addition, through Tehran-Istanbul
route, then along the European railways to Dutch port of Rotterdam to establish
ties with European countries.
First
time security issues were widely discussed between the two countries during
visit of President Mr. Nursultan Nazarbayev to China on October 1993. The
Declaration on the founding friendly relations between Kazakhstan and China was
signed. Very important outcome of that visit was that China supported the
initiative of Mr. Nursultan Nazarbayev to create a system of collective
security in Asia.
On
February 1995, the PRC, following after nuclear powers - the U.S., Russia,
Britain and France gave guarantees of security and sovereignty of Kazakhstan.
Friendly
China - Kazakh relations are an effective mean against manifestations of
Islamic fundamentalism and separatism in both countries. After Kazakhstan gained
its independence, China -Kazakh trade and economic ties were established in
1990–1991-s. Mainly Kazakhstan exports to China, base metals (refined copper,
copper scrap), minerals, and back from China gets machinery and equipment,
chemical products and textiles, etc.
China
and Kazakhstan are gradually increasing and expanding the scope of economic
cooperation. Starting from 1997, the Chinese side 8 years long will invest in Kazakhstan’s
oil industry, including project of pipeline construction started in Caspian
region to Xinjiang, with total price 9.5 billion U.S. dollars, which will
certainly cause a surge of trade between the two countries. China and Kazakhstan
have an agreement on exploration, development and operations, along with Kazakh
hydrocarbons on 4 deposits, located on the coast of Caspian Sea.
China
is a balancing factor in the relations between Kazakhstan and Russia (2).
Kazakhstan also serves as a link in the chain of relations between the PRC and
the Central Asian states. Thus, any relationship between Kazakhstan and Russia
benefit both countries.
Neighborhood
with China is not accidently perceived as a life-changing and requires urgent
attention of all domestic agencies. Eastern neighbor - is not only a country
with a billion people, strikingly high rates of economic development and a
strong tradition of diplomatic, military and political activities, but also
adjacent to a group of nuclear powers actively developing country with the
armed forces. Today the army of China, although considered as the largest army
of the world, is not one of his strongest legions. Meanwhile, the nuclear
program of China Republic and the measures which are now being taken by its
leaders to modernize the armed forces, is a permanent object, observed in leading
strategic institutions of the world.
As you know, China is home to a
fairly large Kazakh population that gives special relevance to the issues
related to establishing strong ties between the compatriots. And this problem
is also solved successfully at various levels.
However,
the potentials of economic cooperation in the most part are not implemented,
primarily due to the economic crisis in Kazakhstan, to a great extent of raw
directivity of economy, corrupt bureaucracy. Demographic threat towards Kazakhstan
is quite obvious enough due to population grow in China and a changed
immigration policy. Potential threat to the national security of these two
countries and their relationships are separatism and terrorism. Thus, the
relationship between Kazakhstan and China aimed at strengthening security and
stability in both countries in Central Asia and across the continent.
Literature:
N.A. Nazarbayev .
Message of the President of the Republic of Kazakhstan to the People of
Kazakhstan, February 18, 2005 . – “Kazakhstan Pravda” , February 19 , 2005 .
Cheng Kung Fu.
Geopolitics of Kazakhstan. - Almaty, 1999. - S.275 -321