Central Asia
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Central Asia

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Central Asia
Central Asia
News from Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan and Afghanistan.
last updated:
27 August, 2024
Rescuers carrying a passenger wounded in a Azerbaijan Airline plane crash in Kazakhstan, arrive with a medical plane at an airport outside Baku. Photo: EPA-EFE
Russia

Azerbaijan plane crashed ‘due to physical and technical external interference’

Four sources with knowledge of the preliminary findings of the investigation had said Russian air defences had mistakenly shot it down.

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Kazakhstan

Azerbaijan believes missile downed plane, Russia warns against ‘hypotheses’

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War and conflict

Opinion | Taliban’s promise of security through strength in Afghanistan rings hollow

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China-Middle East relations

China warns leaders in Syria not to threaten security elsewhere

Chinese envoy addresses UN briefing days after Turkestan Islamic Party publishes video encouraging Xinjiang Muslims to wage jihad.

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A Chinese envoy to the UN says China respects choices made by the Syrian people and does not seek to interfere in internal Syrian affairs. Photo: Reuters
Belt and Road Initiative

Opinion | Hong Kong and Xinjiang could be the core of Kazakhstan’s China strategy

As the centre of global economic activity shifts from West to East, strengthening ties with China will remain one of Kazakhstan’s top priorities.

Middle East

Afghanistan’s refugees minister killed by suicide blast

Khalil Ur-Rahman Haqqani was killed in an explosion at the ministry’s offices in the capital Kabul.

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Belt and Road Initiative

Opinion | Why China’s outreach to Central Asia will only grow

Amid increasing investments and a greater emphasis on security, China’s presence in Central Asia differs from its outreach to other regions.

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Chinese President Xi Jinping and Kazakh President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev shake hands after signing a joint statement following bilateral talks in Astana, Kazakhstan, on July 3. Photo: Xinhua
Belt and Road Initiative

How a new railway will extend China’s reach into Central Asia

The 523km line linking China, Kyrgyzstan and Uzbekistan could eventually be extended to the Middle East, South Asia and Europe.

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Belt and Road Initiative

Xinjiang eyes closer ties with Pakistan and Central Asia to offset US sanctions

Far west region boosts role as belt and road gateway by opening Pakistan border for the winter and growing ties with Kazakhstan’s Zhetysu.

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Xinjiang

China seeks to boost energy ties with Turkmenistan

Foreign Minister Wang Yi also said he would seek to boost investment in the country at a meeting with his Central Asian counterparts.

Turkmenistan has significant gas reserves. Photo: AFP
China’s military drills

China and Pakistan talk security as they target terrorism against belt and road

Top Chinese military official meets Pakistani counterpart in wake of attacks against Chinese interests in the South Asian country.

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Zhang Youxia (left), vice-chairman of China’s Central Military Commission, meets his Pakistani counterpart Syed Asim Munir during a visit to Pakistan this week. Photo: Handout
China's population

China’s border with Central Asia deemed concern amid demographic decline

China’s sparsely populated border with Central Asia, which is losing residents quickly, was named by a researcher as an area not to ignore.

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Climate change

Opinion | Cop29 can work with the Belt and Road Initiative for a greener future

Aligning climate action with major economic initiatives is essential to cutting emissions while promoting sustainable development.

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Taliban

Taliban seeks international aid for Afghanistan’s reconstruction

Emphasising destruction caused by decades of conflict, Taliban called for technical help and economic development initiatives.

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A Taliban security guard stands guard with with a whip in front of Afghan men waiting outside a bank to withdraw money. Photo: dpa
India

India seeks to boost ties with Afghanistan – is it a move to sideline Pakistan?

Officials from both sides recently met to discuss issues, including enhancing trade via an Afghan port run by an Indian company.

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The embassy of Afghanistan in New Delhi. Photo: AFP
Environment

Taliban to attend UN climate conference for the first time

A technical delegation will participate in Cop29 in Azerbaijan, according to Afghanistan’s National Environmental Protection Agency.

Belt and Road Initiative

Opinion | How do Central Asian countries see China’s Belt and Road Initiative?

As Central Asian nations diversify away from Russia, it’s not a given that China or the EU will become dominant powers in the region.

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Climate change

Opinion | Cop29 is Azerbaijan’s moment to step into the global sunshine

The UN climate conference will shine a spotlight on the major oil producer’s energy transition, peace efforts with Armenia and geocritical location.

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People walk near the Baku Olympic Stadium, the venue of the Cop29 UN climate change conference, in Baku, Azerbaijan, on October 18. Photo: Reuters
Global monetary policy

As China urges global financial reform, Global South ties more crucial: analysts

The world’s second-largest economy is looking to balance the scales of international financial governance under a system dominated by the World Bank and IMF.

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China-EU relations

Opinion | China and the EU have a logistics problem. Central Asia stands to benefit

Given the wars in the Middle East and Ukraine, a safer trade route might be the one through Central Asia and the Caucasus.

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War and conflict

Letters | Be warned, the pain of war lingers long after the fighting ends

Readers reflect on the scars of the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict, waste management solutions for Hong Kong and the ticketing scramble for next year’s Coldplay show.

Azerbaijan soldiers walk near the Lachin checkpoint, on September 26 last year. Photo: AFP
India

India, Pakistan fuel Central Asian arms race with sales to Armenia, Azerbaijan

The influx of military hardware is shifting the military balance in the region, potentially undermining fragile peace efforts.

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A Pakistani JF-17 Thunder wraplane performs a fly-by in 2018. Photo: AFP
Science

China set to conduct nation’s first expeditions in the ‘land of the dinosaurs’

Leading Chinese scientist hopes project will be the ‘beginning of our international expeditions’ after decades of playing catch-up.

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Crime in Hong Kong

Hong Kong customs seizes HK$44 million of Ice in ceramics shipment from Kyrgyzstan

Haul is largest from the central Asian country in 20 years and for methamphetamine this year at city’s airport.

Kazakhstan

Kazakhstan votes on whether to build first nuclear plant

The country is looking to boost its power generation capacity with the construction of its first nuclear facility.

Kazakh President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev casts his vote during a referendum on the construction of a nuclear power plant in Kazakhstan. Photo: Reuters
Middle East

Opinion | How a wider Middle East war could bring a world recession

Volatile oil prices, shaky investor confidence and prospects of interest rate increases threaten a global slowdown if Israel’s war expands.

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Illustration: Craig Stephens
Kazakhstan

Opinion | Why Kazakhstan is pursuing its own nuclear power programme

The nation has good reason to consider nuclear energy, in service of both its own interests and adding to global climate change efforts.

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Pakistan

Is Pakistan’s bid to kick-start Gwadar port putting ‘cart before the horse’?

A lack of business activities and poor infrastructure mean the goal of making Gwadar into a shipping hub is unfeasible, analysts say.

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