China has welcomed Kazakhstan’s decision to gift 1,500 saiga antelopes, according to a statement by Kazakh Foreign Ministry spokesperson Aibek Smadiyarov, Zakon.kz reports.
“They responded very positively. We cooperate with China both in environmental matters and in nature conservation,” Smadiyarov said during a press briefing on June 23, 2025.
However, the Kazakh Foreign Ministry currently does not have information on how the animals will be transported.
On June 17, President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev announced the decision to transfer 1,500 saigas to China for resettlement in the country’s western regions. Chinese President Xi Jinping, who was on an official visit to Astana at the time, expressed his gratitude for the gesture.
The move is part of Kazakhstan’s broader efforts to protect endangered species and strengthen ecological cooperation with Beijing.
CentralasianLIGHT.org
June 23, 2025