China condemns external influences in Kazakhstan that cause turmoil: Xi Jinping

As Kazakhstan is experiencing unrest after people started protesting because of the rise in fuel prices, the country has been blamed for using external forces to calm the situation by the Chinese President Xi Jinping. He issued a statement to Kazakh President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev stating that China strongly opposes external forces that purposefully cause instability and incite the 'colour revolution' in Kazakhstan. As per the reports of the Global Times, President Xi also praised Tokayev for taking affirmative and effective measures at a critical time that rapidly calmed the situation and demonstrated statesmanship toward the country and people.

The President of China said that Beijing is eager to provide the assistance that Kazakhstan requires to overcome its current issues. He also stated that the communist regime is always Kazakhstan's reliable friend and partner, no matter what obstacles and threats the country faces, according to ANI.

Second-largest trading partner

The situation in Kazakhstan affects China, as it is the second-largest trading partner and top export market. Chinese customs figures stated that total bilateral commerce between the two countries in the first 11 months of 2021 was $22.94 billion, up 14.7% from the previous year. Over the same time period, China exported $12.59 billion in commodities to Kazakhstan and bought $10.35 billion in goods.

Chinese Embassy in Kazakhstan stated that China spent US$19.2 billion in Kazakhstan from 2005 to 2010, according to South China Morning Post. By 2023, China will have completed 56 projects costing almost $24.5 billion. In 2013, President Xi made a deal with Kazakhstan, selling the state-owned China National Petroleum Corp an 8.33% share in the huge Kashagan oilfield for US$5 billion. China has purchased 4.02 million tonnes of natural gas from Kazakhstan.

Kazakhstan's protest

Thousands of protesters flooded the streets of Kazakhstan this week to protest rising liquefied petroleum gas prices. Interior Ministry figures provided by Kazakh media suggests that Kazakhstan's police detained 3,811 people over several days of disturbances around the country. 26 people have died and many have been injured since the unrest began, which became particularly violent on Wednesday, according to Sputnik. Another 56 people were sent to hospitals, with 25 of them in critical condition. Kazakhstan's president, Kassym-Jomart Tokayev, extended his sympathies to the families of those killed during the protests on Friday.

(Inputs from ANI)

(Image: AP)