KazakhstanParallelsConstitutionalOverhaulWithDeeperChinaTradeTies

Kazakh President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev signs a decree to implement new constitutional measures in Astana, Kazakhstan, on the afternoon of March 17, 2026. Photo: IC Photo

In the wake of an overwhelming public mandate for constitutional reform, Kazakhstan is positioning itself as a reliable energy vanguard amid Middle East turbulence, while actively deepening its multi-billion-dollar trade and logistics partnership with China.

The Kazakh Embassy in Beijing held a press conference on April 22 to detail comprehensive domestic reforms centered on a sweeping constitutional overhaul, as well as multidomain friendly cooperation between Kazakhstan and China.

On March 15, 2026, Kazakhstan held a national referendum to vote on a new draft constitution introduced by current President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev.

On March 17, Tokayev signed a decree to implement the new constitutional measures, which will officially take effect on July 1, 2026. According to final statistics from the country’s Central Election Commission, voter turnout for the referendum reached 73.12%, with about 9.1 million people casting ballots, and approximately 87.15% voting in favor of the draft.

Tokayev stated that the new constitution is the cornerstone of a “fair Kazakhstan,” establishing the rule of law, order and civil rights. He said the document marks Kazakhstan’s transition to a “progressive state model,” strengthens national independence and focuses on future development.

On Feb. 12, Kazakhstan’s Constitutional Court published the draft text. Compared to the previous framework, the draft transitions the parliament from a bicameral to a unicameral system, reinstates the previously eliminated vice presidency, and establishes a 164-member Supreme Advisory Council — also known as the People’s Council — appointed by the president. In total, the overhaul amends approximately 84% of the constitution’s clauses.

Shakhrat Nuryshev, the Kazakh ambassador to China, stated that against the backdrop of rapidly shifting instability in the Middle East, volatile global energy markets and Asian countries facing an oil crisis, Kazakhstan is actively responding. While simultaneously prioritizing domestic political and economic reforms, the country is emphasizing energy security and highly valuing its permanent comprehensive strategic partnership with China.

During the press conference, Nuryshev told Caixin that the U.S.-Iran conflict is destabilizing the entire Middle East. As a peace-loving nation, Kazakhstan urges the resolution of all conflicts through diplomatic means. Tokayev has explicitly stated that, if needed, Kazakhstan is ready to provide mediation assistance for related negotiations.

Amid the Middle East crisis, a window of opportunity appears to be opening for Kazakhstan. On April 15, South Korean presidential chief of staff Kang Hoon-sik announced that following visits to multiple countries in the Middle East and Central Asia, South Korea had secured 273 million barrels of crude oil and 2.1 million tons of naphtha. Kazakhstan will supply 18 million barrels of that crude, entirely bypassing the Strait of Hormuz through the end of the year.

Nuryshev told Caixin that as an oil-producing country, Kazakhstan notes that many nations facing energy shortages are attempting to seek external suppliers as much as possible. This presents a kind of opportunity for Kazakhstan, but everything has its limits, and maintaining a stable oil supply chain is paramount.

“We do not wish to see out-of-control soaring prices in the energy market,” Nuryshev said. “This situation is completely unconstructive, as it merely means some countries might extract higher profits while others are forced to bear exorbitant costs.”

Prospects for China-Kazakhstan cooperation

Furthermore, Nuryshev detailed at the press conference the expanding ties between China and Kazakhstan across the trade, transport, energy, investment and cultural sectors.

He said Kazakhstan and China have forged an unprecedentedly high-level permanent comprehensive strategic partnership, continuously consolidated and deepened by stable political dialogues and frequent interactions across all echelons.

China has always been one of Kazakhstan’s largest trade and investment partners, and cooperation with Beijing holds a special place in Kazakhstan’s investment strategy, he noted. An initial pool of 269 joint investment projects has been formed, totaling about $120 billion. In 2025, bilateral trade reached $48.7 billion, an 11% year-over-year increase that set a historic high. In February 2026, Kazakhstan was designated as one of six theme countries under the “Export to China” initiative.

In terms of infrastructure and logistics, bilateral cooperation in the transport sector continues to develop aggressively. In rail transport, cargo volume hit a new record of 35.6 million tons in 2025, an 11.1% increase year-over-year. Throughout 2025, the Trans-Caspian International Transport Route handled 77,000 twenty-foot equivalent units, a 36% jump.

In 2025, container hubs in the cities of Almaty and Aktau officially began operations, aimed at boosting transit utility along the Trans-Caspian International Transport Route.

In September of that same year, the Dostyk-Moyinty double-track rail project near the Dostyk-Alashankou border crossing was completed, multiplying its transit capacity fivefold.

A third railway line between the two nations — the Ayagoz-Tacheng segment — is also under active construction. This corridor is designed to alleviate bottlenecks at existing ports and attract an additional 20 million to 25 million tons of freight annually.

Expanding direct aviation links is a crucial component of strengthening bilateral connectivity, Nuryshev said. Currently, there are about 90 flights per week operating across 17 routes between Kazakhstan and China. The airline network is continuously growing; an Almaty-Shanghai route recently opened, and an Astana-Guangzhou flight is scheduled to launch on June 2.