Business cooperation seen growing rapidly

China and Kazakhstan, among the first countries to jointly pursue cooperation under the framework of the Belt and Road Initiative, have implemented a series of projects with strategic significance, bringing benefits to their peoples and setting a convincing example for the international community, said Sultan Kinzhakulov, commercial counselor of the Kazakh embassy in China.

For instance, Shelek wind farm－the first green energy project jointly built by China and Kazakhstan－was put into operation on Tuesday, according to Chengdu Engineering Corp, a subsidiary of State-owned Power Construction Corporation of China and the project's contractor.

Located in Enbekshikazakh district of Almaty region, the wind farm is able to generate 230 million kilowatt-hours of electricity on an annual basis, cutting 206,000 metric tons of greenhouse gas emissions and saving the use of 89,000 tons of standard coal each year.

According to the Kazakh government, Shelek wind farm can effectively alleviate the shortage of power in southern Kazakhstan and promote the country's carbon reduction plans and power restructuring.

The project helped train a group of local people in wind power construction, operation maintenance and management. It not only boosted the local job market but also accumulated operational experience for the country's new energy projects in the future, said He Yanfeng, general manager of Chengdu Engineering Corp.

China International Water and Electric Corp, a subsidiary of State-owned China Three Gorges Corp, also delivered the construction project of the Turguson Hydropower Station to its client in Kazakhstan in August last year.

Located on the banks of the Turguson River, the station has a total installed capacity of 24.9 megawatts. It is the first cascade power station in the country and the first project of the China-Kazakhstan cooperation in hydropower under the framework of the BRI, its constructor said.