Photo: VCG

On Sunday, Kazakhstan will hold its presidential election. This is a significant moment, not simply because a new head of state will guide the country, but because it also marks the first time in almost 30 years a new president will be elected.

The upcoming election will be the most competitive and diverse in the country's history. Seven candidates have registered with the Central Election Commission, including the first female candidate Daniya Yespayeva, from the Ak Zhol party. 

Kazakhstan has taken concrete steps to improve gender equality and promote women's role in business and politics. The senate chairwoman and deputy prime minister, and the minister of education and science are women, along with a quarter of the members of Kazakhstan's parliament. 

Another aspect of the election which experts have focused on is the fairness of the process. This is understandable, as according to some organizations and analysts, the region as a whole is still developing the necessary democratic institutions and mechanisms to ensure completely fair and open elections. 

President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev promised the election would be transparent. Kazakhstan has always welcomed observers and their constructive feedback during previous elections, and this time more than 1,000 international observers from 10 international organizations, as well as foreign countries, are expected to be in Kazakhstan for the election. 

The upcoming vote is not just important to Kazakhstan, but to our neighbors and partners all over the world. As is known, Kazakhstan has been actively participating in global affairs, including, most recently, the resolution of the Syrian conflict. 

Elections in Kazakhstan are also relevant for Kazakhstan-China relations.

Thanks to the joint efforts of leaders of both sides, today relations between the two countries have entered a new era of comprehensive strategic partnership.

China is one of Kazakhstan's principal trading partners. The dynamic growth of bilateral trade is evidenced by the increase in its volume from $432 million in 1992 to $19.88 billion in 2018.

Both countries are connected by crucial international energy corridors such as the Atasu-Alashankou oil pipeline and the Kazakhstan-China gas pipeline, which has annually increased the volume of hydrocarbon supplies from Kazakhstan to China. 

Thanks to joint efforts, including Kazakhstan's "Nurly Zhol" policy and the China-proposed Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) beginning in 2016, sustainable growth in bilateral trade has been achieved. 

Our country, being the place where the idea for BRI was first announced, supports the initiative. An auspicious direction for the mutually beneficial partnership was the opening of the Astana International Financial Center (AIFC). AIFC has embodied the best models of financial centers in New York, Singapore, London, and Dubai. 

The Bank of China, the China Development Bank, the Commercial and Industrial Bank of China and the Construction Bank of China have offices at the center which proves that relations between both countries are an example of mutually beneficial and effective cooperation. 

At the same time, cultural and humanitarian cooperation is the basis for strengthening mutual trust, friendship and good-neighborliness.

Within the BRI framework, we work with Chinese partners to implement educational and scientific projects and have established cooperation between universities, held scientific conferences, translated books, and allocated grants. 

In particular, China already has four centers on Kazakhstan in universities in Shanghai, Beijing, Dalian and Xi'an. In 2018, the Center for Economic Research of Kazakhstan opened at the Zhejiang University of Economics and Finance in Hangzhou.

In 2018, a unique exhibition Heritage of the Great Steppe: Masterpieces of Jewelry Art was held with great success within the framework of the international exhibition project Procession of the Golden Man in the Museums of the World, organized by the National Museum of the Republic of Kazakhstan and the Shaanxi History Museum.

The results of the presidential election will be announced on June 16. Close ties between Kazakhstan and China will continue. There is every reason to be confident about the future and the cooperation between both countries.

The author is Kazakh Ambassador to China. opinion@globaltimes.com.cn