Abstract:
The BRI Initiative was introduced for almost 7 years but its motives and influence on the
participating countries are still controversial. The purpose of this dissertation is to determine the current
role of Kazakhstan in the Initiative and assess the impact of the Initiative on Kazakhstan. We studied
the concepts and development strategies of the Initiative, the speeches of officials of the participating
states of the Initiative, the governmental documents of Kazakhstan and China affecting the Initiative,
international memoranda and agreements between China and Kazakhstan since 2013, as well as
statistical reports for the specified period. Results showed that China is interested in the location of
Kazakhstan as an alternative to the development of its logistics routes, whereas Kazakhstan is interested
in China as an investor, and has already developed concrete steps for the development of regions within
the framework of the Initiative. Dry Port project at Khorgos Special Economic Zone is mutually
beneficial project that meets the expectations of both parties. The presence of a precedent and the
proven desire of the countries to continue its development allow us to positively forecast further
cooperation between the two countries.
