Positioned as a transit and trade bridge between Europe and Asia, located at the crossroads of Islamic, Confucian and East Christian civilizations, Kazakhstan plans to optimise the opportunities coming up with the age of Asia, said Kazakh President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev, outlining core economic and foreign policy trajectories of his country at the Valdai Talks, Sept. 3 in Sochi, Russia, Astana Times reports.
The Valdai Club is an annual event where experts, international officials and public figures discuss global political and economic processes. The topic for this year’s gathering was “The Dawn of the East and the World Political Order,” dedicating the agenda to the East in a broad sense.
“The Great Silk Road, the Golden Horde, Eurasianism are important threads in the cultural code of the Kazakhs,” said Tokayev, noting he has observed the growth of the mega-continent during his 11 years of diplomatic service in Asia.
According to the Kazakh President, the population growth rate, gross domestic product, trade, industrial and high-tech production rates in Asia confirm the forecasts.
With 60 percent of the world’s population, 21 out 30 of the world’s largest cities on the continent, 210 of the world’s 500 largest companies by income and 36 percent of world production, Asia is ahead in digital technologies and in the number of patent applications. More than 50 percent of GDP growth is accounted for by Asian countries, which stimulates international trade and investment.
“We stand for the openness of our space for new viable transport and logistics solutions,” said Tokayev.
During the gathering, presidents of Russia, Azerbaijan, Philippines and the King of Jordan have also presented their views of the national development in the context of the topic.
