Kazakhstan sees huge potential for China-Europe cargo transportation through Middle Corridor

Deputy Foreign Minister of Kazakhstan Roman Vasilenko has said that there is a good opportunity to develop overland transportation from China through Azerbaijan.

His remarks came in an interview with local media on November 13, according to Report.

According to him, China is one of Kazakhstan's main trade partners and ranks second after Russia.

“If we count the European Union [EU], which consists of 27 members, then the EU is our largest trading partner and investor, but if we talk about countries, then Russia comes first, followed immediately by China, which is also becoming one of the largest investors, and which places a lot of money not only in energy but also in such areas as construction, engineering and industry,” Vasilenko said.

He also highlighted the role of maritime routes in global trade.

“Now maritime trade is also huge, and we do not even pretend to compete with the volume of goods that are transported from China to Europe by sea. But there is a really good opportunity, given the geopolitical upheavals, to develop overland transportation from China, through Kazakhstan and through the so-called Middle Corridor, which runs not only through China and Kazakhstan, but also through the Caspian Sea, Azerbaijan, Georgia, the Black Sea and Eastern Europe," he said.