Health emergency caused by SARS in China appears close to an end. Kazakhstan opens Chinese border

July 01, 2003
ref. www.khabar.kz

The Kazakhstani-Chinese border has been opened and the air, railway and car communications were resumed. This became possible due to the stabilization of SARS situation in China.

The border was closed in the beginning of May because of SARS  public health emergency in China. Also the car, air and railway communications with China were stopped then and the tourist trips were delayed. The Chinese citizens were sent back to China and only the CIS and Kazakhstani citizens could enter Kazakhstan traveling from China. According to the preliminary calculations, the goods turnover has decreased to 5 times during 2 months and the budget lost more than 700 million dollars. Last year export-import operations with China made 1 billion dollars. The customs officers consider that after the opening of border, the goods turnover between the countries will become more active.