On July 17, Kazakh President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev concluded a trip to Shanghai, China, by speaking at the opening of the 2026 World Artificial Intelligence Conference. While restating Kazakhstan’s efforts to become a regional hub for digital trade and international cooperation, Tokayev also praised China for its advancements in the field during his 16-minute speech. Even before the conference, China played a visible part in Kazakhstan’s digital strategy, both by sharing relevant knowledge and by integrating Chinese hardware to propel Kazakhstan’s hypermodern ambitions. Simultaneously, Kosherbayev showed great interest in maintaining close relations between the two countries, asserting that Kazakhstan always prioritizes cooperation with China. Astana became one of 29 governments to sign on to the Shanghai-based World Artificial Intelligence Cooperation Organization.