Today, relations between Kazakhstan and China are actively developing in the spirit of friendship, good neighborliness, and long-term strategic partnership. As part of the official visit to the PRC, Kassym-Jomart Tokayev and Xi Jinping in 2022 reached an agreement on the creation of cultural centers on a parity basis. This step emphasizes the importance of developing cultural dialogue between the countries and demonstrates the desire of both sides to strengthen cooperation in the field of culture and art. During a working trip to Beijing, the Minister of Culture and Information of the Republic of Kazakhstan, Aida Balaeva, and the Minister of Culture and Tourism of the PRC, Sun Yeli, discussed the progress of the practical implementation of the above agreements.The main activities of the center will be museums and libraries, music and cinema, language training and others.
“China and Kazakhstan have been strategic allies for a long time, as well as partners across the entire spectrum of interaction. Today’s meeting laid a solid foundation for the further development of mutually beneficial cooperation. We will provide maximum support in promptly resolving all issues related to the opening of the center,” Sun Yeli said.
During the trip, the Kazakh side worked out organizational issues related to the selection of premises, the content concept, as well as legal aspects of opening a cultural center of Kazakhstan in China. At the same time, the ministers discussed issues of further interaction between the two departments. In particular, cooperation will be expanded by signing agreements in the field of culture, which involve strengthening joint work on organizing mutual tours of theater and concert organizations, exchange exhibitions, mutual translations and publications of works of classical literature and other projects. Aida Balaeva voiced the importance of returning archival materials and cultural property from the PRC, holding master classes by Chinese experts in the field of circus art and choreography, allocating grants for training in the fields of cinematography, museum affairs, preservation of historical and cultural heritage, restoration, etc. No less significant was the meeting with the head of the Main State Administration for Radio and Television Affairs of the People’s Republic of China Cao Shuming.
“Thanks to the leaders of our states, Kazakh-Chinese cooperation in all areas is developing dynamically. Television channels of the two countries have implemented a number of joint projects. We propose to strengthen the work by releasing content in a new format, such as microseries, videos about countries and broadcasting them on TV,” emphasized Cao Shuming.
Aida Balaeva offered to support the rotation of feature, documentary, and animated films on Chinese television channels, as well as to provide assistance in the production of joint series and videos about the sights and cultural sites of Kazakhstan. The minister also noted a special interest in the participation of Kazakh cultural figures in Chinese television shows broadcast in the largest media in the world in terms of broadcast scale. In addition, the parties will consider draft agreements on cooperation in the field of media and information, television and radio broadcasting, and on issues of audiovisual products.
General Director of the largest media corporation in China, Global China Media Corporation, Shen Haixun, with whom the minister also met, proposed concluding an agreement on the production of documentaries aimed at popularizing the cultural heritage and cultural values of the parties. Already on the eve of the celebration of Nauryz, an agreement will be implemented on the rotation of Kazakh kyuis on radio stations in China. At a meeting with the Chairman of the State Committee of the People’s Republic of China for National Affairs, Mr. Pan Yue, Aida Balaeva said that for the first time in the history of Kazakhstan, a multinational song and dance ensemble “Birlik” was created in the country. For the effective exchange of experience and best practices, the minister proposed considering the possibility of organizing tours of the ensemble to Beijing, as well as holding master classes for artistic directors of the ensemble of different nationalities and minorities operating under the State Committee of the People’s Republic of China. The working trip to Beijing ended with a meeting with the director of the Chinese Bolshoi Theater Wang Ning, at which the parties discussed the development of theatrical art in the two countries. Having watched the drama “The Big Red Dream”, the Kazakh delegation was delighted with the dance performance, organized at a high aesthetic level.
Press service of the Ministry of Culture and Information of the Republic of Kazakhstan
