Astana — September 22, the "Beles" Center for Analysis and Strategy officially launched the operation of its key infrastructure project in Kazakhstan. On September 22, the grand opening ceremony of the branch of the Research Institute of the New Land-Sea Transport Corridor (NLSTC RI) took place.
The founders of the new institute were the "Beles" Center and Astana International University (AIU) in partnership with Chinese colleagues. This event became a logical continuation of the global launch of the Research Institute, which took place a week earlier in Lianyungang.
The launch of the branch was held in a hybrid format, highlighting the international status of the project. The red ribbon was (symbolically) cut by:
- Serik Irsaliyev, President of PA "Beles" (on behalf of the Kazakhstani founders).
- Ning Xiaoming, Rector of Jiangsu Ocean University (online from China).
The opening of the NLSTC RI branch is the result of the systemic work of the "Beles" team. The Center acts not just as an administrator, but as an ideologist for creating a unified research platform. The new structure, established by the Center, will take on the functions of a "single operator" of scientific research on TITR routes, ensuring a direct link between Kazakhstani business and the sea ports of China.
The presentation of the Institute became the central event of the international conference "Belt and Road Initiative: From Idea to Practice", which gathered diplomats and experts. The presence of representatives of the Embassy of the PRC (Minister Counselor Xing Fangfang) and the MFA of the RK (Yerik Ashimov) at the opening confirmed the high political mandate of trust in the new project of the "Beles" Center.
Having established the NLSTC RI and opened its representative office in the capital, the "Beles" Center has moved into a new weight category — from an expert group to an organization managing international research infrastructure.
