Strategic Coordination of Investment Policy between Kazakhstan and China within International Transport Corridors

The expansion of transcontinental transport corridors, including the Belt and Road Initiative, the Middle Corridor and the Trans-Caspian route, has increased the importance of effective investment policy coordination across Eurasia. The strategic position of Kazakhstan between China and European markets makes coordination quality a key determinant of corridor efficiency and sustainability. This study examines investment cooperation between Kazakhstan and China in international transport corridors, focusing on institutional, financial, and regulatory coordination mechanisms. The analysis employs a mixed-method approach combining official statistical data, policy document coding, and the indicator-based Coordination Effectiveness Index (CEI). The CEI operationalizes coordination across four dimensions: (1) institutional coordination, (2) investment and financing structure, (3) regulatory and risk environment, and (4) corridor performance, using normalized indicators and equal weighting. Empirical results for the period 2013–2023 indicate that cumulative Kazakhstan–China transport infrastructure investment exceeds USD 20 billion, alongside a measurable shift from state-led financing toward diversified co-financing and public–private partnership models. The CEI scores indicate greater coordination in institutions and financing, whereas regulatory alignment and performance monitoring are less developed. Findings demonstrate that corridor effectiveness depends primarily on coordination quality and institutional alignment, rather than on investment scale alone. This emphasizes the need for improved regulatory harmonization and risk-sharing structures.