On the afternoon of October 23, Султангазиев Марат Елеусизович, governor of Almaty region, Kazakhstan, along with his delegation, visited Henan TIR assembly center in Zhengzhou Xinzheng Comprehensive Bonded Zone, located in Zhengzhou Airport Economy Zone (ZAEZ), Central China's Henan province.
How did these two regions—one in Central China and the other at the "crossroads" of Central Asia on the Eurasian continent—manage to establish a connection despite being separated by thousands of kilometers?
As a key transit country for China-Europe freight trains, Kazakhstan has become a crucial logistics hub bridging Asia and Europe. In 2023, with the launch of international road transport routes like the Zhengzhou-Tashkent line, numerous TIR vehicles from ZAEZ have been passing through Kazakhstan, particularly on the roads of Almaty. The growing interactions between Almaty and ZAEZ are cultivating a deeper connection between the two regions.
On September 20, a new TIR assembly center commenced operations in ZAEZ, making it the third in China and the first in the country's inland region to receive certification from the IRU (International Road Transport Union).
Just three days after the inauguration of the assembly center, the Zhengzhou-Almaty TIR road transport route was officially launched. The opening of this route marks a new chapter in the relationship between Almaty and ZAEZ.
"Constant interactions make us 'relatives' !" said a staff member of ZAEZ. With TIR enterprises and vehicles from the ZAEZ frequently traveling to Almaty, and the governor's visit to ZAEZ this time, personal connections and mutual understanding—along with trade exchanges and official engagements—will help strengthen and deepen the relationship between the two sides.
"We will strengthen our ties!" said a staff member from the Port Administration of ZAEZ. The construction of the Zhengzhou International Land Port is progressing rapidly and is set to facilitate the operation of 5,000 international freight trains next year. Additionally, plans are underway to establish the "China-Kazakhstan" Digital Silk Road Cross-Border E-commerce Hub project. These key initiatives will enable Henan to forge new connections with Almaty, driving economic growth and further strengthening bilateral relations.
