Kazakhstan is the wealthiest of the five Central Asian states, producing about 60 percent of the region’s GDP.
Oil is king, but for Hong Kong, the real story is the Astana International Financial Centre. Launched in 2018, the AIFC operates on English common law – familiar to Hong Kong professionals – with its own court modelled on Dubai’s DIFC.
Beyond oil and gas, Kazakhstan supplies about 40 percent of the world’s uranium. The Khorgos Gateway, a massive dry port on the China-Kazakhstan border, transfers cargo like electronics and auto parts between trains to cut transit times from Asia to Europe.
In August 2025, Kazakh tungsten miner Jiaxin International Resources became the first company to list simultaneously on the Hong Kong Stock Exchange and the AIFC’s Astana exchange.
The ninth largest country in the world is the most urbanized of the five. Almaty, the former capital, has espresso bars and a growing tech scene. Astana, the national capital, is a skyline of golden pyramids and tent-shaped malls.
Younger Kazakhs are rediscovering nomadic heritage – eagle hunting, felt-making, horse meat feasts – while speaking fluent English and Russian. For Hong Kong travelers: Astana’s Bayterek Tower, Almaty’s Green Bazaar, Charyn Canyon, and the Unesco Mausoleum in Turkistan.
Kazakh costume, the dombra (a two-string lute), and films have appeared at Hong Kong’s “Asian Ethnic Cultural Performances+” and Asean Film Festival. Last year, a Kazakh delegation showcased dombra music in Hong Kong.
The first Kazakh restaurant opened in Hong Kong last December, to be covered in this series. Local universities have seen a rise in Kazakh students.
For Hong Kong, Kazakhstan offers common law, low tax, and resource wealth. It is the financial hub of the Caspian.
Read more:
New Silk Road 2.0: HK to Central Asia
Uzbekistan: the soul of the Silk Road – awakening giant
Kyrgyzstan: the most democratic – Switzerland of Central Asia
Turkmenistan: the locked door – gas-rich, marble-clad, and nearly impossible to enter
Tajikistan: the roof of the world – poorest of the Soviet heirs, richest in mountains and resilience
