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Kyrgyzstan

Chinese dinosaur researcher Xu Xing gathers fossils at a field site. Photo: Handout

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.

9 Oct 2024 - 11:07AMvideocam

Hong Kong healthcare and hospitals

Hong Kong-based Malaysian excited at chance of being oldest medical graduate

22 Jul 2024 - 3:42PM

Tourism

Why more Asian women are flocking to Buenos Aires’ milongas for tango

18 Jul 2024 - 7:00PM

Diplomacy

Opinion | Has China gained the upper hand over Russia in Kazakhstan?

The recent Shanghai Cooperation Organisation summit in Astana offered a glimpse of the jockeying for geopolitical influence in Central Asia.

9 Jul 2024 - 8:30PM

Kazakh President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev attends the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation summit in Astana, Kazakhstan, on July 4. Photo: Reuters/Sputnik

Central Asia

How 2 years and Russia’s war in Ukraine shifted China’s ties with Central Asia

Xi Jinping visits Kazakhstan and Tajikistan as the region is increasingly looking to Beijing for security and investment guarantees, analyst says.

6 Jul 2024 - 9:00PMvideocam

China-Russia relations

Can China and Russia overlook Central Asia rivalry for SCO goal to counter West?

Both nations want Shanghai Cooperation Organisation to counter Western hegemony, but rivalry over influence in Russia’s ‘backyard’ might be a concern.

6 Jul 2024 - 8:38PMvideocam

Belt and Road Initiative

Chinese highway crews cut ‘super-long’ tunnel through Xinjiang glacial area

Huge boring machine to cut passage for north-south link providing vital connection to Central Asia.

6 Jul 2024 - 6:29PM

The boring machine “Wensu” will be used to complete the West Tianshan Super-long Tunnel section of the G219 highway, part of a major transport route linking China to Central Asia as well as Russia and Pakistan. Photo: QQ.com

China trade

‘This has come naturally’: China’s new Caspian Sea trade route sidesteps Russia

Despite its choppiness, the world’s biggest inland body of water has rapidly become a more desired journey for shipments than one through Russia or the Red Sea.

5 Jul 2024 - 9:30PM

Tourism

How to say place names most get wrong like Laos, Oaxaca, Leicester

Think you can pronounce these hard-to-say countries, cities and other places? Try your hand at Phuket, New Orleans, Leicester, Reykjavík, Kaohsiung, Laos, Yosemite, Oaxaca, Edinburgh and more.

5 Jul 2024 - 6:59PM

India

Modi’s Russia trip a sign of India’s unresolved tensions with China: analysts

Modi’s visit underscores importance of Russia ties and reluctance to engage China with border issues still outstanding, observers note.

5 Jul 2024 - 11:11AMvideocam

Russian President Vladimir Putin (left) and Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi greet each other before their meeting in New Delhi in 2021. Photo: AP

Xi Jinping

China’s Xi hails ‘unique’ ties upon arrival in Kazakhstan for state visit

Chinese President Xi Jinping is in Astana for state visit and annual SCO summit alongside Russia’s Vladimir Putin, before heading to Tajikistan.

2 Jul 2024 - 9:43PMvideocam

Chinese President Xi Jinping upon his arrival in Astana, after being received by his Kazakhstan counterpart Kassym-Jomart Tokayev (right). Photo: AFP/Kazakhstan’s presidential press service

China-Russia relations

Xi and Putin are pivoting to the Global South. It may not go to plan

China and Russia want stronger ties with developing nations as they try to counter the Western-led world order.

1 Jul 2024 - 11:37AMvideocam

Fifa World Cup 2026

China in World Cup qualifier ‘group of death’ with Japan, Australia, Saudi Arabia

The 18 remaining Asian teams fighting for eight direct qualification spots at 2026 tournament are drawn in three third-round groups of six.

27 Jun 2024 - 10:03PM

Russia

ICC issues arrest warrant for ex-Russian defence minister, top military chief

Warrants were issued for the alleged war crimes of directing attacks at civilian objects and causing excessive incidental harm to civilians, as well as the crime against humanity in Ukraine, the ICC said.

25 Jun 2024 - 8:08PMvideocam

The ICC issued arrest warrants on Tuesday for former Russian defence minister Sergei Shoigu (right) and Valery Gerasimov, the current military chief of staff, on accusations of war crimes in Ukraine. Photo: AP

Extreme fitness

F1 star Bottas among those embracing fast-growing sport of gravel riding

Thirty-four cyclists competed in the first edition of Dirty Kanza in 2006 – this year 5,000 riders started the race, now renamed Unbound Gravel, with many more left out.

24 Jun 2024 - 3:08PM

When Valtteri Bottas is not driving his Formula One car, he can often be found racing on his gravel bike. Photo: EPA

Russia

Armenia to leave Russia-led security alliance, PM says

The leader of Armenia declared his intention to pull out of a Russia-dominated security alliance of several ex-Soviet nations as tensions rise between the two allies.

13 Jun 2024 - 11:35AM

Fifa World Cup 2026

China take on South Korea with only 5 spots up for grabs in World Cup Asian zone

If China lose in Seoul, they could lose second spot in Group C to Thailand, who host Singapore; India, Indonesia among teams in hunt.

10 Jun 2024 - 6:23PM

Central Asia

China reaches deal on railway project linking it with Kyrgyzstan, Uzbekistan

The rail link, first proposed in the 1990s, will serve as a faster and cheaper alternative to current China-Europe land routes, most of which travel through Russia.

7 Jun 2024 - 12:19AMvideocam

A China-Europe freight train leaves for Kazakhstan from Xian International Port in Shaanxi province in 2022. Photo: Xinhua

Asia travel

From Flying Pigeons to ultra bikes, Beijing’s extreme cycling boom

Spurred by the pandemic, ultra cycling is booming in Beijing, with enthusiasts heading out of the city to ride day and night on ‘probably the most beautiful roads in the world for cycling’.

2 Jun 2024 - 10:29AM

Hong Kong sports

Controversial Hong Kong weightlifting boss who implied city is country resigns

Dr Josephine Ip had been under pressure after implying Hong Kong and Taiwan were countries during opening remarks at an event this month.

24 May 2024 - 2:40PM

China-Russia relations

Chinese President Xi and Russia’s Putin to meet again in July: foreign minister

Beijing and Moscow should ‘maintain security and stability in the common Chinese-Russian neighbourhood’, Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi says

21 May 2024 - 5:49PMvideocam

Russian President Vladimir Putin, who visited China on May 16, and Chinese President Xi Jinping vowed to build even closer ties in energy and finance sectors. Photo: EPA-EFE

The Philippines

‘Not a spy but a love child’: embattled Philippine mayor reveals murky past

In a televised interview, Guo revealed that she was an abandoned child of a man who was a Chinese citizen and a domestic helper.

21 May 2024 - 3:58PMvideocam

Bamban Mayor Alice Leal Guo. Photo: Facebook/AliceLealGuo

Belt and Road Initiative

China’s top diplomat vows stronger security, anti-terror ties with Tajikistan

Wang Yi meets Tajik President Emomali Rahmon in Dushanbe as part of four-day trip to Central Asia, which will include an SCO foreign ministers’ meeting in Astana.

19 May 2024 - 9:20PMvideocam

The Philippines

A Chinese ‘asset’? Philippine town mayor with mysterious past raises eyebrows

Alice Leal Guo, mayor of small town Bamban, was unable to provide details about her early life and background during a senate hearing.

16 May 2024 - 4:26PMvideocam

Hong Kong Sports Institute

Hong Kong weightlifting body’s ‘deepest regret’ for implying city, Taiwan are countries

Hong Kong, China Weightlifting and Powerlifting Association issues public apology over remarks made by chairwoman Josephine Ip, who previously called city a ‘small country’.

13 May 2024 - 5:50AM

India’s Vaibhav Thorat competes in the men’s deadlift at the Asian Equipped Powerlifting Championship/Asian University Cup. Photo: Jonathan Wong

Central Asia

Opinion | How China’s greener investments are driving Central Asia energy shift

The growing cooperation between China and Central Asia on green energy fits Beijing’s agenda of making more sustainable Belt and Road Initiative investments. Central Asian states, particularly Uzbekistan and Kazakhstan, have embraced the opportunity to improve their energy security and gain distance from Russia.

12 May 2024 - 5:30AMvideocam

A solar power plant built by China’s Dongfang Electric Corporation in Samarkand, Uzbekistan, on April 29. Central Asian states, particularly Uzbekistan and Kazakhstan, have been a focus for China as it attempts to turn its investments in the Belt and Road Initiative towards green energy. Photo: Handout

Russia

Vladimir Putin warns of global clash as Russia marks Victory Day

Russian president uses to speech to warn that his nuclear forces were ‘always’ on alert and that Russia would not tolerate any threats from the West.

9 May 2024 - 5:02PM

ONE Championship

Kyrgyzstan’s Abdullaev wins his 11th straight fight but has hunger for more

The 26-year-old Kyrgyz says the economic difficulties of his country have helped produced hungry fighters with a winning mentality.

8 May 2024 - 1:45PMvideocam

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Kyrgyzstan

The latest news, analysis and opinion on Kyrgyzstan. In-depth analysis, industry insights and expert opinion.

Capital

Bishkek

Head of State

President Sadyr Japarov

Head of Government

Chairman of the Cabinet of Ministers Akylbek Japarov

last updated:

29 November, 2024