The Central Asian countries were once part of the former Soviet Union. China is now rising in this place, which was once called "Russia's backyard." When we visited the border between China and Kazakhstan, the largest country in Central Asia, we could see the changes. ■Special trade zone at the China-Kazakhstan border This is Khorgos, a border town between China and Kazakhstan. Reporter: "We're at the border between Kazakhstan and China, and this area is a 'free trade zone.'" The "free trade zone" allows both Chinese and Kazakhstan people to enter without a visa. Both Chinese and Kazakh currencies can be used here. This year, 5 million people have already visited, making it a place that symbolizes the current relationship between the two countries. Reporter: "There's a lot of Kazakh chocolate and honey on sale here." Chinese tourist: "Kazakh products are well made. The honey is especially good." In a large pot, lamb rice is being cooked. Besides shopping, you can also enjoy Kazakh cuisine, so it's easy to get the feeling of traveling abroad, and many Chinese tourists visit the area. Meanwhile, Kazakhstan... Kazakh tourist: "I bought a lot of things, like cosmetics and clothes. It's cheap here and the quality is good." It seems that many people buy Chinese-made daily necessities. Chinese shop owner: "There are more tourists than before. Kazakhstan's economy continues to grow, and purchasing power is also increasing." Q. How is the relationship between China and Kazakhstan? Chinese shop owner: "The relationship is good. We are trying to develop our economy together in this trade zone." This "free trade zone" started in 2012. President Xi Jinping has been leading the development. It continues to develop, with new buildings being built one after another, and it can be said to be a symbol of the strengthening of relations between China and Kazakhstan. The president of the Kazakhstan side that operates the "Free Trade Zone"... President of the Khorgos International Border Cooperation Center: "This is the beginning of the business relationship between Kazakhstan and China. This free trade zone is the very origin." He also emphasizes that this location is significant. President of the Khorgos International Border Cooperation Center: "China and Europe are connected through here." ■Kazakhstan: An important base for the "Belt and Road" The reason China places importance on its relationship with Kazakhstan is because Kazakhstan is a key point that connects China to Europe. Reporter: "It's a long train, a really long train. It's loaded with a lot of cargo." The "Belt and Road" is a huge economic zone concept that China is promoting. The central train is positioned as the core of this project, which connects China and 25 European countries by rail. Due to the convenience of being able to transport cargo in one-third the time it takes to ship by sea, the number of trains has increased by more than 20 times compared to 10 years ago. In particular, Khorgos is an important base for the route that boasts the largest number of trains out of the three routes of the Central Train. ■China has a keen eye on "Russia's backyard" Kazakhstan and other Central Asian countries, which were part of the former Soviet Union. Originally, Russia had a strong influence there and was called "Russia's backyard." However, since Russia invaded Ukraine in 2022, Russia's economic influence has declined. China is taking advantage of this gap and increasing its presence. President Xi Jinping: "We are determined to join hands and win the conditions together to build a closer China-Central Asia community with a shared future." Last year, at the first Central Asia Summit, China announced that it would provide Central Asia with approximately 500 billion yen in loans and grant aid. It has been steadily strengthening its relationship. In addition to its geographical importance, the abundant resources that Central Asian countries possess, such as natural gas and oil, are also attractive to China. Kazakh tourist: "China buys natural gas, oil and other resources from Kazakhstan, and Kazakhstan buys grain from China. The two countries have a very good relationship in terms of economy and trade." And last year, China finally replaced Russia as Kazakhstan's largest trading partner. Since the invasion of Ukraine, Russia and China have been strengthening their relationship. Meanwhile, China's presence is growing in "Russia's backyard." The tricky negotiations between China and Russia continue. ▼TBS NEWS DIG Official Website https://newsdig.tbs.co.jp/ ▼Please subscribe to our channel! / @tbsnewsdig ▼Information provided by "TBS Insiders" https://www.tbs.co.jp/news_sp/tbs-ins... ▼Video provided by "TBS Scoop Post" https://www.tbs.co.jp/news_sp/toukou... #News #news #TBS #newsdig