On April 3, 2026, the overseas session of the 4th China International Supply Chain Promotion Expo ended in Astana, the capital of Kazakhstan. At the meeting, Kazakhstan released a key signal: it will comprehensively upgrade its domestic multimodal transport network, simplify cross-border procedures, and expand the authorization of priority port channels for Chinese enterprises. This move aims to shape itself as a "golden springboard" for China to connect with the European market, providing a highly resilient alternative route for the turbulent global trade.

Reduce clearance time to less than six hours

At this promotion event, Harbin announced a set of latest operational data: the container handling capacity of Lianyungang Port China Kazakhstan Joint Logistics Station exceeded 20000 TEUs for the first time in the first three months of this year, setting a quarterly record since the station was put into operation. At the same time, the average customs clearance time at major ports along the China Kazakhstan border has been reduced to less than 6 hours, and the efficiency of transshipment operations between railways, highways, and sea transportation has increased by more than 40% year-on-year. Officials from Kazakhstan stated that they will further promote electronic customs locks and remote inspection technology, striving to shorten the clearance time by about 15% before the end of the year.

Accelerating the release of transportation capacity across the Caspian Sea

Faced with the continuous tension of the Red Sea route and the increasing risk of passage through the Suez Canal, the strategic value of the land route is being reassessed. At this special event of the Chain Expo, Kazakhstan announced that it will accelerate the construction of supporting facilities for the Trans Caspian International Transport Corridor, including the addition of a container terminal at Aktau Port and the opening of roll on/roll off ship services to Baku Port in Azerbaijan. The Kazakh side also plans to jointly invest with the Chinese side in the construction of two smart refueling stations, located at the ports of Dostyk and Altenker. They are expected to be put into use by the end of 2027 and can support an annual refueling volume exceeding 600000 TEUs.

China Kazakhstan joint construction of supply chain security anchor points

During this event, the Kazakh side emphasized that improving the cross-border logistics system is not only to serve bilateral trade between China and Kazakhstan, but also to provide a stable pivot for the supply chain security of the entire Eurasian continent. Kazakh enterprises can leverage China's digital dispatch platform to real-time connect the warehouse information and return cargo sources of China Europe freight trains, reducing the proportion of empty container return shipments. The Kazakh side also proposed for the first time to explore the establishment of an emergency coordination mechanism for the China Kazakhstan supply chain, prioritizing the smooth operation of land routes for medical supplies, food, and key industrial raw materials in case of emergencies. Once this mechanism is implemented, it will become the first multimodal transport emergency security arrangement under the the Belt and Road framework.Editor/Gao Xue