The Belt and Road Initiative (BRI), introduced by China in 2013, aims to enhance trade infrastructure and regional cooperation. In Kazakhstan, as one of the key countries in this initiative, it plays a pivotal role in the implementation of transit and economic projects. This article examines the political, economic, and cultural impacts of China's BRI on Kazakhstan during the period 2014–2024, and seeks to answer the question of how the initiative has transformed the nature of economic interdependence between Kazakhstan and China, and to what extent this economic transformation has led to an increase in China's political influence or has been constrained by Kazakhstan's balancing strategy. The hypothesis of the article is that while the BRI has significantly strengthened economic ties and created deep interdependence, it has not resulted in full political domination by China, largely due to Kazakhstan's adoption of an active balancing strategy—although this cooperation has brought vulnerabilities for Kazakhstan in areas such as finance, technology, and cybersecurity. The study employs a descriptive-explanatory method, utilizing data, document review, and content analysis of official sources, international reports, and statistics from the World Bank, the International Monetary Fund, and regional institutions.