Shiliuyun-Xinjiang Daily (Reporter Suo Rongzhi) news: As of November 10, 2023, the mutual visa exemption agreement between China and Kazakhstan officially came into effect. On that day, Kazakhstani businessman Nursultan Nazhmetdinov got the certificates of his first company invested in northwest China's Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region, at the government service hall of Urumqi Economic and Technological Development Zone (Toutunhe District).

Photo taken on November 10, 2023 shows Kazakhstani businessman Nursultan Nazhmetdinov (first from right) applies for his company's business license at the government service hall of Urumqi Economic and Technological Development Zone (Toutunhe District), northwest China's Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region. (Photo by Shiliuyun-Xinjiang Daily/ Suo Rongzhi)

This new company, jointly invested and registered by Nursultan and Hanat Patihan, a Xinjiang entrepreneur named Xinjiang Tiange International Trade Co., Ltd., has become the first Sino-foreign joint venture in the functional block of the Economic and Technological Development Zone in the Urumqi Area of the China (Xinjiang) Pilot Free Trade Zone.

Photo taken on November 10, 2023 shows Kazakhstani businessman Nursultan Nazhmetdinov (left) and Xinjiang businessman Hanat Patihan (right) hold the business license of their jointly invested and registered company in Urumqi Economic and Technological Development Zone (Toutunhe District), northwest China's Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region. (Photo by Shiliuyun-Xinjiang Daily/ Suo Rongzhi)

The relationship between the two shareholders can be traced back to 11 years ago. At that time, Hanat, who was a student at Dalian University of Technology , went to the University of Science and Technology in Beijing to visit his classmates during the holiday. His classmates introduced him to an international student, Nursultan. "We got on well with each other. We often went to dinner together when I was in Beijing." Hanat said, Nursultan has had an open mind, and his unique insights about current events left a deep impression on him.

Nursultan graduated and returned to Kazakhstan to start his own business, mainly engaged in international logistics. Four years later, Hanat and Nursultan met again at a mutual friend's wedding in Beijing.

Knowing that Nursultan has not only done business in Kazakhstan's neighboring countries, but also established good cooperation with some enterprises in China's Xinjiang, Hanat, who has always been interested in trading, was excited. "We discussed how to achieve smooth traffic after delivering goods to Kazakhstan by rail and road together?" Hanat said, after that, he started doing business with his family.

Hanat frequently came across the updates of Nursultan's company purchasing engineering instruments and daily necessities from the enterprises in Xinjiang on WeChat Moments. "I like China very much, and I also hope to bring more products manufactured in China back to Kazakhstan." Nursultan said.

In April this year, Hanat learned that Nursultan was selling a kind of fruit juice produced in Kazakhstan. After the preliminary market investigation, Hanat thought this batch of juice might be a promising product in the Chinese market. So he showed his intention of cooperating with his old friend.

A month later, the two old friends reached an agreement on cooperation. After that, fruit juice worth two million dollars was shipped to Xinjiang. After the first cooperation, contact between the two old friends became more and more frequent.

"Seeing the news about China’s plan on the China (Xinjiang) Pilot Free Trade Zone (FTZ), I knew that my idea of opening a company in Xinjiang could be put into practice." On November 1, 2023, Nursultan excitedly told Hanat, "Openning a company in the FTZ allows us benefit from the policies, thus making it promising."

"We decided to set up a company together after a morning of communication. We will utilize the advantages of both sides to accelerate the company's development." Hanat said, after discussion Nursultan would act as the company's legal representative, and Hanat would serve as a shareholder. The company specializes in the import and export trade in fruits and vegetables, high-end beverages, construction machinery, textiles, and garments.

At noon of November 10, 2023, Hanati submitted required files for their company online. After the approval of the Urumqi Economic and Technological Development Zone (Toutunhe District) Administration for Market Regulation, they got their business license a few minutes later.

What made Nursultan feel warm was that after getting the business license, Ren Hongwei, deputy director of the management committee of Urumqi Economic and Technological Development Zone (Toutunhe District), Dong Xiujuan, deputy secretary of the Party leadership group and director of the Bureau of Commerce (Grain), and Li Jun, secretary of the Party leadership group of the Administration for Market Regulation, came to the governmental service hall and congratulated Nursultan.

"They all left me their cell phone numbers and told me to contact them if I have difficulties in my business." Nursultan said he is optimistic about the economic cooperation between China and Kazakhstan, and believes that the future of the company is promising.

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