Notes of accord echo through time

Extraordinary friendship

For Xian Nina, these landmarks are a testament to an extraordinary friendship. She speaks with profound respect for Baikadamov, lauding his moral character.

It was a reflection of the Kazakh spirit she admires deeply.

"They are so warm-hearted. When they see someone in trouble, they reach out. They would never turn a guest away after dark."

To bring this remarkable story of humanity to a wider audience, the Urumqi-born movie director Xierzhati Yahefu was responsible for The Composer, the first co-produced film between China and Kazakhstan.

"The older generation of revolutionaries and cultural figures laid the foundation for this collaboration,"Xierzhati says. "Framed by the vision of building a community with a shared future for humanity, the film serves as one of the most effective forms of cultural collaboration and exchange, capable of bridging distances and fostering emotional connections. Co-productions like this also represent an excellent approach to advancing the Belt and Road Initiative," he added.

Lyu Yi, the acting consul general of China in Almaty, says projects such as the co-produced The Composer are a "vivid embodiment of the heart-to-heart connectivity" fostered by the Belt and Road Initiative.

This year marks the 120th anniversary of Xian Xinghai's birth and the 80th anniversary of the victory in the Chinese People's War of Resistance Against Japanese Aggression (1931-45) and the World Anti-Fascist War, and Lyu says that efforts, including the renovation of memorial facilities for Xian and the re-screening of the film, serve a crucial purpose: to encourage young people to value peace.

"We hope both sides will carry out more cultural collaboration projects that have warmth, depth, and emotional resonance."

Even as cinema bridges a psychological gap, government policies have made travel between the cities easier.

With 2024 and 2025 designated as mutual tourism years between the two countries, simplified travel procedures have injected strong momentum into tourism, business and cultural exchanges. A relaxed rule came into effect in November 2023, allowing visa-free travel between China and Kazakhstan. In the two years since, 179,000 transits were made between the two countries, as recorded at the Urumqi Tianshan International Airport, according to China Central Television.

Of those transits, 118,000 were by Kazakhstan nationals. In the first half of this year, 54,100 Chinese tourists visited Almaty, 33.4 percent more than in the corresponding period last year, the Department of Tourism of Almaty City said in September.

For Ainur Baitumanova, a tourist from Almaty, the eased visa rules turned a trip that once required lengthy preparation into a spontaneous getaway. Her border crossing in October last year was seamless.

The policy also produced a shopping spree for her. Baitumanova and her friends arrived in Urumqi with virtually empty suitcases and returned to Almaty with cases bursting at the seams, the luggage including winter hoodies, boots and a fur coat.

However, beyond the shopping, she found a city that felt remarkably like home, she says. This sense of familiarity was most potent at the dinner table. Baitumanova's love for Xinjiang cuisine had begun in Almaty, where dishes such as dapanji (big-plate chicken, Xinjiang's signature dish) introduced her to the region's rich flavors. "Xinjiang is a great tourist destination for us, because of the language, the culture and the food."

The cultural mirror extended to the nightlife. At a local venue, she says, she was surprised to see people dancing to Kara Zhorga, a traditional Kazakh song, and performing music with a passion that struck her.