THE EVOLUTION OF THE KAZAKHSTAN – CHINA STRATEGIC PARTNERSHIP: FROM SOVEREIGNTY TO INSTITUTIONAL ALIGNMENT

Abstract

Abstract. The article examines the evolution of Kazakhstan–China relations since Kazakhstan gained independence in 1991. The analysis is conducted within the framework of periodization, covering four stages in the development of the bilateral legal and institutional framework: the formation of foundations (1991–2001), the definition of priority areas (2002–2011), the contemporary level of cooperation (2012–2024), and strategic partnership with institutional integration (from 2025 onwards). Particular attention is given to key areas of interaction-security, digitalization, ecology, industrialization–as well as to the impact of leadership transitions in the PRC and the transfer of power in Kazakhstan.

The methodological basis of the study includes historical-chronological and institutional analysis, a comparative-political approach, as well as content analysis of the legal framework and official documents. The empirical part of the research analyzes 154 agreements covering the main spheres of bilateral cooperation–politics, economy, security, transport, energy, humanitarian cooperation, and transboundary rivers.

The study highlights the evolution from bilateral contacts to a stable strategic partnership with elements of institutional integration, emphasizing the growing significance of Kazakhstan-China relations within the system of regional interaction.

Funding: This article was prepared within the framework of the Targeted Funding Program of the Ministry of Science and Higher Education of the Republic of Kazakhstan, “Multilateral Cooperation between Central Asia and China: From the Early Stages of Interaction to Strategic Partnership,” IRN: BR24993008.