Kazakhstan’s Energy Minister Erlan Akkenzhenov met China National Petroleum Corporation (CNPC) President Zhou Xinhuai in Astana.
They reviewed prospects for Kazakhstan-China cooperation in the oil and gas sector, including expanding refining capacity and developing petrochemical projects.
Akkenzhenov said CNPC had been one of Kazakhstan’s key strategic partners for more than 30 years. Joint projects in exploration, production, transportation and processing of hydrocarbons contribute to the country’s economic development.
The meeting focused in particular on plans to expand the production capacity of PetroKazakhstan Oil Products LLP. During the head of state’s visit to China in autumn 2025, the sides agreed to consider expanding the Shymkent refinery from 6 million to 12 million tonnes of oil a year as a separate initiative.
The sides discussed the project’s current status and next steps. They also addressed the fulfilment of contractual obligations, increasing the share of local content and developing workforce capacity.
Both sides expressed interest in continuing dialogue and working on agreed solutions to expand production capacity, strengthen Kazakhstan’s energy security and develop the strategic partnership between Kazakhstan and China.
