Askar Kysykov, director of the Public Foundation «Center for Applied Research «TALAP»:
«The perception of China among Kazakhstanis is improving. Over the past three years, it has improved. Ratings have nearly doubled. This improvement is observed across all areas: in economic terms, geopolitical influence, and culture.»
As part of the study, more than 1,600 Kazakhstanis were surveyed. It was found that 77% of respondents believe that China has a significant influence on the world stage recently. 80% have a positive attitude towards the development of relations with China in the economic sector. Kazakhstanis are also interested in the culture of their neighbor. Thus, more than 50% of survey participants have read articles and watched documentaries about the Middle Kingdom.
Rakhim Oshakbaev, chief economist of the Public Foundation «Center for Applied Research «TALAP»:
«We are very careful about the quality of the research, the methodology, and the sample. And we see quite good progress, considering that we need to look not only at investments, trade, but also at a sufficiently high and stable level of mutual trust at the political level.»
Leading sociologists, experts from the Kazakhstan Institute for Strategic Studies, and researchers from the Institute of China and Modern Asia of the Russian Academy of Sciences highly appreciated the importance of the research. According to specialists, the experience of Kazakh colleagues is useful not only for the development of relations between Kazakhstan and China but also for strengthening cooperation between Russia and these two countries.
Dmitry Novikov, head – leading researcher at the Central Asian Studies Center of the Russian Academy of Sciences:
«The topic of the conference is extremely interesting, probably even more so for us, for the Russian expert community. Because, of course, we are closely monitoring the dynamics of Chinese presence in the region, the dynamics of relations in key countries of the region with China, as this is an extremely significant factor for both regional dynamics and in the context of Russian-Chinese relations.»
According to experts, the visit of the Chairman of the People's Republic of China Xi Jinping to Kazakhstan in 2022 had a significant impact on the perception of China by the residents of the republic. During the state visit, the head of the Middle Kingdom stated that China intends to support Kazakhstan in protecting its sovereignty and independence. In addition, the PRC is a major investor in Kazakhstan's economy, which contributes to the development of cooperation between the two countries.