On February 3, 2016, International Business Settlement Holdings Limited (IBS) and Astana Financial Center (AIFC) signed a strategic cooperation agreement in Astana, the capital of Kazakhstan. This has laid a solid foundation for the further advancement of my country’s “One Belt, One Road” strategy in Kazakhstan, pushing the cooperation between China and Kazakhstan into multi-dimensional, multi-level, and multi-field in-depth cooperation to achieve mutual benefit and win-win results.
 
The two parties will mainly cooperate in the following three aspects: they will cooperate in the construction of the Central Asia Clearing Center and the Central Asia Commodity Exchange Center. The Central Asia Clearing and Settlement Center realizes the direct settlement of tenge-renminbi, which will not only reduce the transaction cost of both parties, but also reduce the loss caused by the depreciation of tenge to Chinese investors. At the same time, it will solve the worries of currency backflow and improve Kazakhstan. Stan investment environment. The internationalization of the renminbi is of positive significance for the stable currency of Kazakhstan. The Central Asia Commodity Exchange Center project will benefit the trade of bulk commodities such as energy, minerals, and grain. Kazakhstan and neighboring countries have abundant oil resources, and Chinese companies have strong investment intentions in energy. The threshold and threshold for investment after the establishment of the crude oil trading market Significant cost reduction will help more Chinese companies to participate in investment.

Kazakhstan is the starting point of the “Belt and Road” country. It is very important for China to implement the “Belt and Road” concept overseas and take the first step. Kazakhstan was the first to intervene on the issue of promoting the Silk Road Economic Belt and share common interests with China. . The Astana Financial Center (AIFC) was signed and established by President Nazarbayev. It is known as the "state within a country". It is a special economic zone written into the national constitution and adopts the Singapore tax law system and incentive policies. The goal is The establishment of a financial center in Eurasia, comparable to the City of London, is an important national strategic location for Kazakhstan.

As Kazakhstan's second largest trading partner and largest export market, China is also China's largest investment target country in the CIS region. The orderly development of the above-mentioned cooperation will not only further increase the trade between China and Kazakhstan, but will also promote Kazakhstan to become a regional financial and trade clearing and settlement center in Central Asia, effectively promoting small and medium-sized trade and benefiting bulk trade. It will help my country further participate in Kazakhstan's financial construction, enhance my country's international influence, and promote the internationalization of the RMB.
 
Information supplement:
Kairat Kelimbetov, President of AFIC:
From October 2013 to November 2015, Kelimbetov served as Governor of the Central Bank of Kazakhstan
From January 2012 to October 2013, Kelimbetov served as the Deputy Prime Minister of Kazakhstan
Kazakhstan President Nazarbayev delivered a speech at the WTO General Council: Astana International Financial Center will become a very attractive special economic zone.