Chinese millionaire blogger, Kazakh Tourism ambassador Tao Mingxiu, has been awarded the "Dostyk" Order, II degree, on behalf of the Head of State. The high state award was presented to her by the Deputy Prime Minister – Minister of Culture and Information of the Republic of Kazakhstan, Aida Balayeva.

The award recognized Tao Mingxiu's contribution to promoting Kazakhstan in the Chinese media space, popularizing its cultural heritage and tourism potential, and strengthening humanitarian ties between Kazakhstan and China.

During the ceremony, Aida Balayeva noted the significance of Tao Mingxiu's contribution to strengthening friendship between the peoples of the two countries.

"The 'Dostyk' Order, II degree, is a high state award and a recognition of your contribution to strengthening friendship and humanitarian ties between Kazakhstan and China. Thanks to your work, millions of people have been able to learn more about Kazakhstan, its rich cultural heritage, picturesque nature, and tourism potential," Aida Balayeva emphasized.

Tao Mingxiu, also known as Tao Tao, first visited Kazakhstan in September 2024 as an invited media influencer. Since then, she has visited Astana, Almaty, Akmola, Almaty, East Kazakhstan, and Mangystau regions, publishing over 100 materials with a cumulative reach of over 1 billion views. In May 2025, she was granted the honorary status of "Kazakhstan Tourism Ambassador." During her fifth trip to Kazakhstan, the blogger is traveling along the Almaty – Aktau – Turkestan route and participating in Amal and Nauryz events.

The awarding of the Chinese blogger reflects a broader context of strengthening Kazakhstan-China cooperation. Today, relations between the two countries are at an unprecedentedly high level of eternal comprehensive strategic partnership. A special role in this is played by the friendly relations between the Head of State Kassym-Jomart Tokayev and Chinese President Xi Jinping, which set a stable vector for further deepening bilateral ties.

One of the key areas of interaction remains the cultural and humanitarian sphere. 2026 marks the Cross Year of Culture between Kazakhstan and China, which has become an important platform for expanding cooperation in the fields of theatre, cinema, exhibition activities, creative industries, and touring exchanges.

An important result of the agreements reached was the opening of the Cultural Center of Kazakhstan in Beijing. This is the first and currently the only Kazakh institution of its kind abroad. The center has become a platform for promoting Kazakh culture, language, art, and history in China, as well as for hosting exhibitions, lectures, concerts, master classes, and educational programs.

Tourism cooperation is also actively developing. While 655 thousand Chinese citizens visited Kazakhstan in 2024, this figure reached 968 thousand people in 2025. The launch of a direct flight Almaty – Shanghai by Air Astana on March 29, 2026, gave an additional impetus to this direction. The new route opens up additional opportunities for the development of tourism, business contacts, and humanitarian exchanges.