Kazakhstan, China Sign Agreement On Security At Khorgos Cross-Border Center

(MENAFN- Trend News Agency) BAKU, Azerbaijan, September 8. Kazakhstan and China have signed an agreement on ensuring security and public order at the International Centre for Cross-Border Cooperation "Khorgos", Kazakhstan's Ministry of Internal Affairs said.

The agreement was signed during Kazakhstan's Minister of Internal Affairs Yerzhan Sadenov's working visit to Beijing, where he participated in a meeting of interior and public security ministers in the "Central Asia - China" format.

During the visit, Sadenov also held a bilateral meeting with Chinese Minister of Public Security Wang Xiaohong. The sides discussed current issues of Kazakhstan-China cooperation in the security sector and further areas of joint work.

"The signing of the document concludes long-term joint efforts to establish legal mechanisms for ensuring security at the Khorgos International Centre for Cross-Border Cooperation. The agreement defines the procedures for cooperation between the competent authorities of the two countries and will enable more effective prevention of offenses, prompt response to emerging threats and ensuring the safety of citizens at the international center," the ministry said.

Another important outcome of the bilateral talks was an agreement on the mutual recognition and exchange of national driving licenses issued to citizens of Kazakhstan and China.

The agreement is expected to simplify relevant procedures for citizens of both countries and create more convenient conditions for mutual travel.

The agreements reached are aimed at further developing practical cooperation between Kazakhstan and China in the security sector and addressing specific issues of mutual interest.

According to Kazakh Invest, the Khorgos International Centre for Border Cooperation (ICBC) comprises two parts: the Kazakh part, located in the Panfilov district of Almaty Region, and the Chinese part, situated in the Ili Kazakh Autonomous Prefecture of the Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region.

The Kazakh part of the Khorgos ICBC is located 321 kilometers from Taldykorgan, the administrative center of Almaty Region, and 361 kilometers from Almaty, Kazakhstan's largest city.

The center is situated approximately 1 kilometer from Khorgos, a border city in China, 90 kilometers from Yining, the nearest major city in the Ili Kazakh Autonomous Prefecture, and 670 kilometers from Urumqi, the administrative center of the Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region.

The Khorgos ICBC covers a total area of 560 hectares, with 217 hectares located on the Kazakh side and 343 hectares on the Chinese side. The two parts are connected by a dedicated pedestrian and transport corridor.

Citizens of Kazakhstan, China and other countries may stay in both the Kazakh and Chinese parts of the Khorgos ICBC for up to 30 days without a visa, provided they hold valid documents recognized and agreed upon by the competent authorities of the countries concerned.

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