ASTANA, Kazakhstan, June 16. Kazakhstan Railways (KTZ) signed major cooperation agreements with China’s CRRC Dalian Co., Ltd. and CRRC Ziyang Co., Ltd. during the China-Central Asia Forum held in Astana, Trend reports.
The deals were among over $24 billion in investment agreements announced at the high-level forum, aimed at boosting economic cooperation between China and Central Asian countries.
Under the agreement with CRRC Dalian, KTZ will partner with the Chinese firm to establish a fully integrated center in Kazakhstan for the production and overhaul of locomotives. The agreement also includes long-term servicing of CRRC Dalian’s products and the training of local technical personnel to build long-term expertise within the country’s rail sector.
KTZ also signed a cooperation agreement with CRRC Ziyang, which outlines the potential acquisition of approximately 150 hybrid shunting locomotives of the CKD6H model. As part of the broader cooperation, the two companies will create another integrated center in Kazakhstan for locomotive production and major repairs. Plans include the establishment of technical service hubs in key industrial cities such as Astana, Pavlodar, Karaganda, and Ekibastuz, ensuring nationwide support for a range of locomotive models.
The agreements reflect Kazakhstan’s broader strategy to strengthen its transport and logistics infrastructure and support the development of the Middle Corridor, a growing transcontinental trade route connecting China to Europe via Central Asia and the Caspian Sea.
