Home>>People's Daily Online Exclusives
China, Kazakhstan ignite light of fusion of civilizations(People's Daily Online) 10:28, July 02, 2024
With China and Kazakhstan making more solid progress in Belt and Road cooperation, both sides are writing new chapters in cultural and people-to-people exchanges.
Join People's Daily Online to discover a multi-faceted framework of people-to-people exchanges in areas including culture, art, education, and health between the two countries and explore how different civilizations live together in harmony.
Belt and Road cooperation enhances people-to-people bond between the two countries
On Sept. 7, 2013, Chinese President Xi Jinping delivered a speech in Kazakhstan and for the first time proposed building the Silk Road Economic Belt.
Over the past decade, Belt and Road cooperation has grown from scratch, prospered and yielded fruitful achievements.
Trade between China and Kazakhstan surpassed $40 billion for the first time in 2023, reaching $41 billion, a year-on-year increase of 32 percent.
In the Central Asian country, one can see the logos of Chinese tech firm Xiaomi in stores for digital products, Chinese ceramics in markets, and vehicles of Chinese auto brands including Geely, Chery, and BYD on the streets. All these serve as testament to the smooth flow of trade between the two countries.
Just as the ancient Silk Road fostered friendship through trade, today's Silk Road Economic Belt is bringing the people of China and Kazakhstan closer together through trade.
On the streets of Kazakhstan's capital, Astana, People’s Daily Online reporters met several residents who expressed warm feelings towards China.
"I follow many Chinese car brands, and if I had the opportunity, I would like to travel to Hainan in China," said one local resident.
A ceramic tableware seller in Astana noted, "I sell Chinese ceramic tableware, and the best-selling items are tea sets. With the improvement of China-Kazakhstan relations, more and more customers can go to China to choose products on their own."
A Kazakh businessman said, "I have been to China five or six times because of my timber business. My son is currently learning Chinese, and I believe this is the best investment."
The mutual visa exemption agreement between China and Kazakhstan came into force in November 2023. In 2024, the Kazakhstan tourism year in China was inaugurated. A total of 26 pairs of sister provinces and cities had been established between China and Kazakhstan. Frequent mutual visits between the two peoples further strengthened the foundation of a millennia-old friendship.
China, Kazakhstan pass on friendship forged in times of adversity from generation to generation
The ancient city of Almaty is located on the ancient Silk Road. In Almaty, there is a Xian Xinghai Boulevard, which got its name from a heartwarming story.
In 1941, Xian, a renowned Chinese composer, arrived in Almaty. At that time, he was worn down by poverty and illness. Fortunately, the Kazakh composer Bakhitzhan Baikadamov took care of Xian and provided him with the comfort of a home. It was in Almaty that Xian refined his famous work Yellow River Cantata and wrote Amangeldy, a symphony in honor of the Kazakh national hero, which proved immensely popular with the local people.
In 2019, "The Composer," a movie about the story of Xian and Baikadamov jointly produced by China and Kazakhstan, hit the screens.
"I often ask myself, 'If I were Xian, would I be as strong as him?'" said Sabit Kurmanbekov, art director of the movie, in front of the Abay Opera House, one of the movie's filming locations.
After the movie had finished filming, Kurmanbekov felt he was getting closer to China. "The Chinese crew arrived early and left late, and their diligence, professionalism, and team spirit deeply impacted us," he remarked.
During the war, the Baikadamov family formed a genuine friendship with Xian. A Kazakh proverb goes, "If you save a person's life, the sheep at home will give birth to twins." This sentiment aligns with the traditional Chinese cultural belief that "the benevolent man loves others."
At the China-Kazakhstan Center for Traditional Medicine in Astana, Ismail Daurov, a traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) therapist who previously studied TCM in China, was giving Tuina remedial massage to Gulzhina, a patient who was undergoing rehabilitation treatment at the center after a brain surgery following recommendations from her fellow patients. The treatment has improved her mobility.
Since its inauguration in December 2022, the center has treated nearly 8,000 patients and provided remote consultations globally for over 200 patients. Currently, the center employs nearly 10 TCM practitioners from both countries, serving roughly 60 patients every day.
As a part of fine traditional Chinese culture, TCM has gained significant popularity in Kazakhstan, helping strengthen the emotional bonds between the two peoples.
Mutual learning facilitates interactions among civilizations
In Kazakhstan, music and horse culture serve as bridges for the interactions and mutual learning among civilizations.
