August 20, 2026, a roundtable themed “Water: Sustainable Development and Water Initiatives” was held at the Cultural Centre of the Republic of Kazakhstan in Beijing. Centered on transboundary water governance and sustainable development, the event brought together government officials, research institutions and industry experts from China and Kazakhstan. It served as a high-level dialogue platform for the water sector to advance practical water related cooperation between the two countries.
Present at the event were Shahrat Nuryshev, Ambassador of Kazakhstan to China, representatives from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Kazakhstan, the Permanent Mission of Kazakhstan to the SCO Secretariat, and Kazakh research institutes. Chinese participants included authoritative institutions such as the International Economic and Technical Cooperation Exchange Center of the Ministry of Water Resources of China, the Global Water Partnership China(GWP China), the China Institute of Water Resources and Hydropower Research(IWHR), and the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences. The two sides had in-depth exchanges on topics including sustainable water resources utilisation, cross border cooperation and innovation in water conservancy technologies.
Ambassador Shahrat Nuryshev delivered remarks at the roundtable. He noted that amid intensifying climate change and growing water resource pressures, water security bears directly on regional stability, economic growth and food security. Given the transboundary and global nature of water governance, international collaboration is indispensable. He gave special emphasis to international water‑related initiatives put forward by President Kassym Jomart Tokayev of Kazakhstan, calling on all parties to build consensus on water governance, jointly address water related challenges, and improve the regional water‑governance cooperation system.
Professor He Fan, on behalf of GWP China and IWHR, spoke from the perspective of research and think‑tank practice. He pointed out that deepening international water sector cooperation constitutes a key measure to tackle water governance challenges and advance the implementation of the UN 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. Upholding the principles of mutual benefit, win-win outcomes and openness for sharing, China attaches great importance to international exchanges in water conservancy and stands ready to expand practical multi-field cooperation with global counterparts.
According to Professor He Fan, China has developed mature technologies and practical experience in water-saving irrigation, digital-based water resources management, safe reuse of reclaimed water, drought monitoring and early warning. China is well positioned to carry out comprehensive joint research, capacity building and technology demonstration and outreach. It looks forward to deeper scientific and technological water cooperation with Kazakhstan and other countries, leveraging proven, advanced and adaptable technical solutions to advance sustainable utilisation of water resources worldwide.
Participants observed that China and Kazakhstan, linked by mountains and rivers, enjoy solid foundations, rich practical experience and broad prospects for cooperation in transboundary water resources governance. The two sides agreed to further deepen collaboration on rational utilisation of transboundary water resources, upgrading of water infrastructure, digital water conservancy application and sharing of research and development experience, so as to continuously improve the effectiveness of bilateral water sector cooperation.
During the roundtable, experts from both countries discussed regional water security assurance, conservation and utilisation of transboundary water resources, climate‑change responses, and China’s experience in river lake governance. Against the framework of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO), they also explored innovative pathways for multilateral water sector cooperation.The roundtable has effectively opened regular communication channels on water related issues between China and Kazakhstan and consolidated the foundation for bilateral practical water conservancy cooperation. Going forward, building on outcomes from this exchange, the two sides will continue mutually beneficial collaboration in water governance, jointly safeguard regional water security, and support sustainable development of both countries through high quality water sector cooperation.