https://www.scmp.com/rss/500325/feed en https://assets.i-scmp.com/static/img/icons/scmp-meta-1200x630.png https://www.scmp.com SCMP Editorial SCMP Editorial The yuan is rapidly expanding as a global financing source. Just this month, Kazakhstan’s sovereign wealth fund, Samruk-Kazyna, became the first financial institution from Central Asia to issue yuan-denominated debt – worth 3 billion yuan (US$440 million) – in China’s onshore market. Meanwhile, in a first for a euro-zone country, Portugal sold 1.99 billion yuan of eight-year debt in the offshore yuan bond market. The country’s debt agency said the securities, nicknamed dim sum bonds, aim to... https://www.scmp.com/opinion/comment/article/3350441/chinese-yuan-slowly-surely-cutting-us-dollar-dominance?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/opinion/comment/article/3350441/chinese-yuan-slowly-surely-cutting-us-dollar-dominance?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 19 Apr 2026 23:15:10 +0000 Biman Mukherji Biman Mukherji Kazakhstan’s President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev said on Friday that the war in Iran had laid bare the urgency of long-delayed UN reforms, arguing that the world body must be strengthened if multilateral diplomacy is to help restore global peace and security. “We have been talking about that for a long time, but only talking happens,” Tokayev told the fifth Antalya Diplomacy Forum in Turkey. “Everybody is feeling the impact of the Iran war and everybody is suffering.” At the three-day summit ending... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3350505/un-reforms-cant-wait-any-longer-kazakhstans-tokayev-says-amid-fragile-iran-truce?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3350505/un-reforms-cant-wait-any-longer-kazakhstans-tokayev-says-amid-fragile-iran-truce?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 17 Apr 2026 11:43:43 +0000 Carol Yang Carol Yang A leading sovereign wealth fund from Central Asia has cast a vote of confidence in Chinese debt and the country’s currency by becoming the first institution from the region to sell yuan-denominated debt, known as panda bonds, in China’s onshore market. The decision by Kazakhstan’s sovereign wealth fund, Samruk-Kazyna, to sell 3 billion yuan (US$440 million) in China’s interbank market comes as global investors are looking for safe havens amid geopolitical uncertainties such as the Iran war. The... https://www.scmp.com/economy/china-economy/article/3350040/kazakh-sovereign-fund-issues-central-asias-first-panda-bond-milestone-sale?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/economy/china-economy/article/3350040/kazakh-sovereign-fund-issues-central-asias-first-panda-bond-milestone-sale?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 14 Apr 2026 10:00:24 +0000 Kandy Wong Kandy Wong As China looks to central Asia for more energy supplies to offset shipping disruptions amid the Iran war, Vice-Premier Ding Xuexiang will travel to Turkmenistan to visit local gas fields and to attend a bilateral cooperation meeting. Ding, who is China’s top-ranking vice-premier, will kick off his three-day visit on Wednesday by attending the groundbreaking ceremony for the fourth phase of the Galkynysh gas field as President Xi Jinping’s special representative, Xinhua reported. Ding will also... https://www.scmp.com/economy/global-economy/article/3350028/china-turns-central-asia-us-blockade-hormuz-chokes-global-energy-flows?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/economy/global-economy/article/3350028/china-turns-central-asia-us-blockade-hormuz-chokes-global-energy-flows?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 14 Apr 2026 08:30:02 +0000 Emil Avdaliani Emil Avdaliani The war in Iran is not just a regional crisis. It is reshaping global energy flows, disrupting shipping routes and forcing governments to reassess the vulnerability of their supply chains. For China, the conflict has exposed an increasingly urgent problem: the risks of heavy reliance on maritime energy imports from the Gulf. The Strait of Hormuz remains one of the world’s most critical chokepoints, carrying roughly a fifth of global oil and gas under normal conditions. Any sustained disruption –... https://www.scmp.com/opinion/asia-opinion/article/3349234/why-china-looking-central-asia-middle-east-grows-riskier?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/opinion/asia-opinion/article/3349234/why-china-looking-central-asia-middle-east-grows-riskier?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 12 Apr 2026 12:30:08 +0000 Agencies Agencies Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said on ⁠Monday that he ⁠stood by a ⁠proposal made to Russia for a ceasefire contingent on Moscow halting all attacks on energy infrastructure. Zelensky said in his nightly video address that the proposal had ‌been conveyed to Moscow through the US. He also said work was continuing with US negotiators on security guarantees, which he called the key to lasting peace. Ukraine has been fighting a full-scale Russian invasion for more than four years. Due to... https://www.scmp.com/news/world/russia-central-asia/article/3349194/3-dead-15-injured-russia-hits-ukraines-port-city-odesa-major-drone-strike?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/world/russia-central-asia/article/3349194/3-dead-15-injured-russia-hits-ukraines-port-city-odesa-major-drone-strike?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 06 Apr 2026 17:13:04 +0000 Agence France-Presse Agence France-Presse Afghanistan aims to increase trade with Central Asian countries to US$10 billion within the next three or four years, Foreign Minister Amir Khan Muttaqi said on Sunday. Trade with Central Asian countries to Afghanistan’s north came to about US$2.7 billion in 2025, itself a significant increase over previous years, Muttaqi said. He stated Afghanistan’s new trade goal with its neighbours at a “constructive dialogue” meeting in Kabul with representatives from Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, Kyrgyzstan,... https://www.scmp.com/news/world/russia-central-asia/article/3349095/afghanistan-wants-us10-billion-trade-deals-central-asia?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/world/russia-central-asia/article/3349095/afghanistan-wants-us10-billion-trade-deals-central-asia?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 05 Apr 2026 13:26:29 +0000 Agence France-Presse Agence France-Presse Iran’s chokehold on the Strait of Hormuz has thrown the global economic system into turmoil, yet Israel, which launched attacks on Tehran alongside the United States, has emerged as a rare exception. Since Israel and its US ally started the Middle East war on February 28, economies from Asia to Europe and the US have come under pressure from surging oil and natural gas prices that have driven up fuel and electricity costs. Israel, however, has remained largely insulated from the shock. Central... https://www.scmp.com/news/world/middle-east/article/3348629/how-israel-dodged-hormuz-energy-crisis-while-others-reel-blow?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/world/middle-east/article/3348629/how-israel-dodged-hormuz-energy-crisis-while-others-reel-blow?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 01 Apr 2026 06:43:08 +0000 Aaina Bhargava Aaina Bhargava Art Basel Hong Kong remains the leading fair and art event in Asia when it comes to discovering prominent, established and upcoming artists, particularly those who are from Asia or its diaspora. With the new sector, Echoes, featuring curated presentations by three artists or collectives as well as the Asia debut of Zero 10 dedicated to digital art, here is our selection of artists to look out for at the forthcoming fair. Aya Shalkar and Uuriintuya Dagvasambuu Art from Central Asia has been... https://www.scmp.com/special-reports/article/3347695/art-basel-hong-kong-previews-open-today-here-are-9-artists-look-out?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/special-reports/article/3347695/art-basel-hong-kong-previews-open-today-here-are-9-artists-look-out?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 24 Mar 2026 22:00:16 +0000 Cao Jiaxuan Cao Jiaxuan Central Asian governments are leveraging the diplomatic fallout from the US-Israel war on Iran to assert their autonomy and reinforce their long-standing strategy of balancing major powers, according to analysts. For decades, the five former Soviet republics have been seen as Russia’s “backyard”. However, as the conflict in Iran deepens, these nations are moving to recalibrate their geopolitical ties, signalling a shift away from their role as a passive buffer zone for great powers. The shift... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3346611/beyond-buffer-zone-how-iran-war-recalibrating-central-asian-ties?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3346611/beyond-buffer-zone-how-iran-war-recalibrating-central-asian-ties?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 15 Mar 2026 06:00:14 +0000 Jianne Soriano Jianne Soriano In Ali Nuraly’s words, meeting fellow Kazakhs Xeniya Tregubenko and Marat Zakaryayev in Hong Kong, of all places, was his “destiny”. The trio are the founding team behind Yurt, the new modern Central Asian restaurant in Hong Kong. Located on Elgin Street, in Central, it’s an ode to the cuisines of the region that comprises Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan. Each had vastly different reasons for moving to Hong Kong: Tregubenko came for university and stayed to work... https://www.scmp.com/postmag/food-drink/article/3345679/yurt-hong-kong-restaurant-putting-central-asian-cuisine-map?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/postmag/food-drink/article/3345679/yurt-hong-kong-restaurant-putting-central-asian-cuisine-map?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 10 Mar 2026 03:00:09 +0000 Biman Mukherji Biman Mukherji India wants 100 gigawatts of nuclear capacity by mid-century. It currently has roughly 8GW. Getting there will require not just capital, technology and political will, but a reliable fuel supply that domestic production alone cannot provide. The 10-year uranium agreement signed on Monday when Canada’s Prime Minister Mark Carney met his Indian counterpart Narendra Modi in New Delhi is designed to address exactly that constraint. Analysts say it is a structural commitment – one intended to meet... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3345211/indias-100gw-nuclear-push-was-missing-one-thing-canada-just-provided-it?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3345211/indias-100gw-nuclear-push-was-missing-one-thing-canada-just-provided-it?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 03 Mar 2026 04:14:45 +0000 Tom Hussain Tom Hussain Central Asia has long been someone else’s crossroads. Squeezed between an overbearing Russia to the north and an increasingly unstable Iran to the west, the region’s landlocked ex-Soviet republics have settled on a different solution: send railways south, through Taliban-controlled Afghanistan, all the way to the Arabian Sea. Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan – Central Asia’s two largest economies – have in recent months struck preliminary multilateral agreements for the construction of two... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/economics/article/3344798/central-asias-plan-bypass-russia-and-iran-railways-through-afghanistan-and-pakistan?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/economics/article/3344798/central-asias-plan-bypass-russia-and-iran-railways-through-afghanistan-and-pakistan?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 28 Feb 2026 02:00:14 +0000 Agence France-Presse Agence France-Presse The United States on Monday accused China of dramatically swelling its nuclear arsenal and doubled down on claims that Beijing had conducted secret nuclear tests, demanding again it be part of any future arms control treaty. Washington said the lapsing earlier this month of New Start – the last treaty between top nuclear powers the United States and Russia – presented the possibility of striking a “better agreement” including Beijing. Christopher Yeaw, the US assistant secretary of state for... https://www.scmp.com/news/world/united-states-canada/article/3344385/china-has-massively-expanded-its-nuclear-arsenal-claims-us-state-department?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/world/united-states-canada/article/3344385/china-has-massively-expanded-its-nuclear-arsenal-claims-us-state-department?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 23 Feb 2026 20:48:21 +0000 Cao Jiaxuan Cao Jiaxuan Central Asian governments are forging ahead with ambitious “smart city” mega-projects to tackle rapid population growth and ageing Soviet-era infrastructure. They are also pulling in much-needed foreign investment, and China’s strong visibility in these projects – while Russia is notably absent – is fuelling debate over whether the region is trying to reduce its economic dependence on Moscow. It comes as competition among major powers in Central Asia is intensifying, with the US-led C5+1... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3343192/central-asia-builds-smart-cities-china-it-moving-away-russia?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3343192/central-asia-builds-smart-cities-china-it-moving-away-russia?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 11 Feb 2026 12:00:08 +0000 Genevieve Donnellon-May Genevieve Donnellon-May Central Asia’s water insecurity may seem a distant concern. But its rivers underpin Eurasian trade corridors, sustain global food markets and power regional energy systems. As water stress worsens, this is no longer just an environmental issue but a strategic threat across Eurasia – demanding urgent attention in Beijing, Brussels and beyond. Central Asia is warming twice as fast as the global average, accelerating glacier retreat in mountain ranges that act as natural reservoirs. As a result,... https://www.scmp.com/opinion/asia-opinion/article/3341896/why-china-and-europe-should-care-about-central-asias-water-crisis?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/opinion/asia-opinion/article/3341896/why-china-and-europe-should-care-about-central-asias-water-crisis?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 02 Feb 2026 21:30:08 +0000 Associated Press Associated Press US President Donald Trump on Thursday inaugurated his “Board of Peace” to lead efforts at maintaining a ceasefire in Israel’s war with Hamas, insisting that “everyone wants to be a part” of the body that could eventually rival the United Nations – despite many US allies opting not to participate. In a speech at the World Economic Forum, Trump sought to create momentum for a project to map out a future for the war-torn Gaza Strip that has been overshadowed this week, first by his threats to seize... https://www.scmp.com/news/world/europe/article/3340873/world-trump-launches-his-board-peace-some-see-rivalling-un?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/world/europe/article/3340873/world-trump-launches-his-board-peace-some-see-rivalling-un?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 22 Jan 2026 11:43:33 +0000 Mia Nurmamat Mia Nurmamat China’s ambitious Belt and Road Initiative gained further traction in 2025, with a record US$213.5 billion of new deals signed as projects in metals, mining, fossil fuels and new technologies surged, a report by the Griffith Asia Institute has found. The value of new deals confirmed under China’s global infrastructure strategy rose 75 per cent last year compared with 2024, with a notable pivot towards investment in Africa and Central Asia, according to the report released on Sunday. China has... https://www.scmp.com/economy/china-economy/article/3340442/china-signs-record-us213-billion-new-belt-and-road-deals-2025-report?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/economy/china-economy/article/3340442/china-signs-record-us213-billion-new-belt-and-road-deals-2025-report?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 19 Jan 2026 15:00:12 +0000 Hei Kiu Au Hei Kiu Au While Hongkongers scout remote destinations for their first holiday in 2026, a journey of discovery for the palate is now on offer closer to home. Yurt, newly opened on SoHo’s Elgin Street, is bringing the hitherto unexplored flavours of Central Asia to the heart of the city, proving you don’t need a boarding pass to be an adventurous gourmand. In a dining scene that prides itself on diversity, Central Asia has remained conspicuously absent from the many menus on offer in Hong Kong. For the... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/100-top-tables/article/3339140/first-look-yurt-hong-kongs-first-modern-central-asian-restaurant?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/100-top-tables/article/3339140/first-look-yurt-hong-kongs-first-modern-central-asian-restaurant?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 08 Jan 2026 06:02:25 +0000 Hao Nan Hao Nan As Washington, Kyiv, Moscow and European capitals negotiate an agreement for a Ukraine-Russia ceasefire, debate has snapped back to familiar questions: how much land Ukraine should surrender, what security guarantees can be offered and when sanctions might be lifted. Lost in this argument is a quieter reality. After more than three years of war, the sanctions regime has created a profitable shadow economy from the South Caucasus to the Gulf – one that now has a vested interest in keeping the... https://www.scmp.com/opinion/world-opinion/article/3337340/how-wests-sanctions-against-russia-are-fuelling-protracted-war?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/opinion/world-opinion/article/3337340/how-wests-sanctions-against-russia-are-fuelling-protracted-war?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 23 Dec 2025 08:30:08 +0000 Lisa Cam Lisa Cam From auspicious horse-themed phrases and couplets to whether your luck is in, check out our Year of the Horse 2026 series to discover all you need to know about the coming Lunar New Year. For Yurt’s Kazakh founder, Ali Nuraly, opening a Central Asian restaurant in Hong Kong without horsemeat was not an option. After all, the consumption of horsemeat holds a deep, practical heritage in Central Asia and is rooted in nomadic traditions. For millennia, horses were not merely transport but vital... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/food-drink/article/3337319/new-hong-kong-restaurant-yurt-brings-kazakhstans-horsemeat-tradition-city?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/food-drink/article/3337319/new-hong-kong-restaurant-yurt-brings-kazakhstans-horsemeat-tradition-city?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 22 Dec 2025 23:15:13 +0000 Maria Siow Maria Siow Japan will host the leaders of five Central Asian countries in Tokyo this week, a meeting analysts say is meant to show that “Japan is back” as an active player in a region where global powers are competing for influence, minerals and transport routes. The summit with Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, Tajikistan, Kyrgyzstan and Turkmenistan, scheduled for Friday and Saturday, is also expected to consolidate Tokyo’s long-standing but “often underestimated role” in Central Asia as a trusted and non-coercive... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/economics/article/3336861/japan-back-central-asia-new-summit-ai-minerals-and-transport?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/economics/article/3336861/japan-back-central-asia-new-summit-ai-minerals-and-transport?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 18 Dec 2025 06:00:32 +0000 He Huifeng He Huifeng Chinese cross-border e-commerce entrepreneur Andy Guo has just opened two warehouses covering a total of 5,000 square metres (53,820 sq ft) on the outskirts of Moscow. He said the move was not about addressing logistical bottlenecks, but preparing his business for a potential geopolitical shift that could reshape his fastest-growing yet most uncertain overseas market if Russia and Ukraine reach a peace deal. US President Donald Trump has continued to push for the end of hostilities between... https://www.scmp.com/economy/china-economy/article/3335521/chinese-firms-prepare-reopening-russian-market-amid-talks-aimed-peace-deal?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/economy/china-economy/article/3335521/chinese-firms-prepare-reopening-russian-market-amid-talks-aimed-peace-deal?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 07 Dec 2025 12:57:35 +0000 Dewey Sim Dewey Sim During his Southeast Asia trip in October, US President Donald Trump sealed deals with Malaysia and Thailand on the same day – both aimed at securing and diversifying America’s supply chains for critical minerals and rare earths. Trump and Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim agreed to step up cooperation on building and expanding critical minerals supply chains, according to a White House statement. They also agreed to strengthen the security of critical minerals and rare earths supplies in... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3335297/why-china-may-be-better-placed-us-tussle-rare-earths?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3335297/why-china-may-be-better-placed-us-tussle-rare-earths?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 05 Dec 2025 22:00:24 +0000 Reuters Reuters Kazakhstan told Ukraine on Sunday to stop attacking the Black Sea terminal of the Caspian Pipeline Consortium (CPC), which handles more than 1 per cent of global oil, after a major drone attack halted exports and seriously damaged loading infrastructure. The CPC, which includes Russian, Kazakh and US shareholders, said it had halted operations after a mooring at its Russian terminal on the Black Sea was significantly damaged by a Ukrainian naval drone attack. Ukraine this year mounted wave after... https://www.scmp.com/news/world/russia-central-asia/article/3334670/kazakhstan-tells-ukraine-stop-black-sea-oil-terminal-attacks?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/world/russia-central-asia/article/3334670/kazakhstan-tells-ukraine-stop-black-sea-oil-terminal-attacks?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 30 Nov 2025 09:32:48 +0000 Letters Letters Feel strongly about these letters, or any other aspects of the news? Share your views by emailing us your Letter to the Editor at letters@scmp.com or filling in this Google form. Submissions should not exceed 400 words The November 12 report of an endangered eagle ray fished from Victoria Harbor is a testament to Hong Kong’s strident efforts at marine conservation. It is reminiscent of colonial newspapers a century ago reporting all sorts of marine wildlife in the harbour, including abundant... https://www.scmp.com/opinion/letters/article/3333332/rare-stingray-victoria-harbour-welcome-sign-natures-restoration?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/opinion/letters/article/3333332/rare-stingray-victoria-harbour-welcome-sign-natures-restoration?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 20 Nov 2025 03:30:09 +0000 Nikola Mikovic Nikola Mikovic As a result of Russia’s war in Ukraine, Moscow has lost much of its influence in Central Asia. In the coming months and years, the United States is expected to expand its presence in this strategically important region. But given that China has developed close economic ties with regional actors, how does Beijing view Washington’s ambitions? Coincidentally or not, on November 6, the US and China both held important meetings with Central Asia. In Washington, US President Donald Trump hosted the... https://www.scmp.com/opinion/asia-opinion/article/3332544/us-and-china-turn-their-eyes-central-asia-russia-loses-out?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/opinion/asia-opinion/article/3332544/us-and-china-turn-their-eyes-central-asia-russia-loses-out?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 17 Nov 2025 21:30:10 +0000 Julie Zhang Julie Zhang Chinese companies expanding overseas are increasingly using the yuan for financing and payments to build their international operations, boosting the currency’s growing clout in international trade and investment. “Based on my calculation, 10 per cent of our company’s total orders were priced and settled in renminbi,” said Yang Feng, finance director for overseas marketing at Sieyuan Electric, in a panel discussion organised by Standard Chartered at the China International Import Expo in... https://www.scmp.com/business/banking-finance/article/3333034/yuan-rapidly-gaining-ground-chinese-firms-plot-global-expansion?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/business/banking-finance/article/3333034/yuan-rapidly-gaining-ground-chinese-firms-plot-global-expansion?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 17 Nov 2025 06:38:44 +0000 Ralph Jennings Ralph Jennings Recent moves by the United States – including President Donald Trump’s meeting with leaders of resource-rich Central Asian countries and the expansion of a US government critical minerals list – signal an urgency in Washington to reduce its reliance on rare earths from China before tensions with Beijing flare up again, analysts said. Despite China’s Ministry of Commerce on Sunday suspending export controls on “dual-use items” related to several key minerals for a year as part of the US-China... https://www.scmp.com/economy/global-economy/article/3332221/us-stepping-global-rare-earths-hunt-despite-china-trade-agreement-analysts?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/economy/global-economy/article/3332221/us-stepping-global-rare-earths-hunt-despite-china-trade-agreement-analysts?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 10 Nov 2025 15:00:10 +0000 Tom Hussain Tom Hussain Kazakhstan’s decision to join the US-brokered Abraham Accords marks a symbolic victory for Israel, but analysts say the larger motivation for Astana is “currying favour” with Washington and deepening US engagement in minerals-rich Central Asia. The accords, a series of agreements normalising relations between Israel and several Muslim-majority states, date back to 2020. But Kazakhstan and Israel established diplomatic ties in 1992. Still, by formally linking itself to the landmark accords,... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3332182/why-did-kazakhstan-join-abraham-accords-if-israel-wasnt-reason?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3332182/why-did-kazakhstan-join-abraham-accords-if-israel-wasnt-reason?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 10 Nov 2025 08:30:16 +0000 Kylie Knott Kylie Knott Kazakh artist Gulnur Mukazhanova’s large-scale installation soaring above the entrance of The Mills, in Tsuen Wan, Hong Kong, is a dazzling display of traditional Central Asian textiles. Stretching three storeys high above the atrium of the cultural space – converted from former cotton mills – the clusters of irregular-shaped, brightly hued fabric, called False Hope or Moment of the Present, exemplify the power of perspective. From ground level, the work floats overhead like a brilliant... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/arts/article/3332146/kazakh-fabric-artists-hong-kong-exhibition-reflects-heritage-and-historical-traumas?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/arts/article/3332146/kazakh-fabric-artists-hong-kong-exhibition-reflects-heritage-and-historical-traumas?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 10 Nov 2025 08:15:08 +0000 Reuters Reuters US President Donald Trump on Thursday called critical minerals a key priority as he hosted the leaders of five Central Asian nations at the White House, emphasising his administration’s efforts to expand and secure US supply chains through new global agreements. The meeting with leaders of Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan came as Washington sought to expand its influence in a resource-rich region long dominated by Russia and increasingly courted by China. Trump... https://www.scmp.com/news/world/united-states-canada/article/3331856/trump-hosts-central-asian-leaders-us-eyes-sources-critical-minerals?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/world/united-states-canada/article/3331856/trump-hosts-central-asian-leaders-us-eyes-sources-critical-minerals?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 07 Nov 2025 02:17:17 +0000 Danielle Popov Danielle Popov Uzbekistan’s first tech unicorn, Uzum, is seeking a final pre-initial public offering (IPO) funding round next year in Hong Kong, after raising a US$70 million investment from Tencent Holdings months ago. Uzum co-founder Nikolay Seleznev said on Tuesday that Tencent’s investment in August bolstered the company’s plans to go public in 2027, with a potential listing in Hong Kong, London, Abu Dhabi or Nasdaq in the US. The Tencent-led funding lifted Uzum’s valuation to US$1.5 billion, while opening... https://www.scmp.com/tech/tech-trends/article/3331527/tencent-backed-uzum-uzbekistans-first-tech-unicorn-eyes-pre-ipo-funding-hong-kong?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/tech/tech-trends/article/3331527/tencent-backed-uzum-uzbekistans-first-tech-unicorn-eyes-pre-ipo-funding-hong-kong?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 05 Nov 2025 01:00:11 +0000 Emil Avdaliani Emil Avdaliani After years of escalating US-China trade and technology confrontation, the recent summit between US President Donald Trump and Chinese President Xi Jinping in Busan suggests that both sides may be seeking a pause and a partial reset. The easing of tariffs and commitments to resume trade mark a pragmatic shift after a period of intensifying tariffs and export restrictions. If trade tensions continue to cool, the ripple effects could extend beyond Washington and Beijing. Supply chains, logistics... https://www.scmp.com/opinion/asia-opinion/article/3331439/us-china-thaw-could-boost-eurasian-trade?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/opinion/asia-opinion/article/3331439/us-china-thaw-could-boost-eurasian-trade?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 04 Nov 2025 08:30:09 +0000 Reuters Reuters Opec is set to agree on Sunday on another modest increase in oil output targets, three sources familiar with the talks said, as the producers’ group moderates plans to regain market share due to rising supply glut fears. Opec has raised output targets by more than 2.7 million barrels per day (bpd) – about 2.5 per cent of global supply – since April but slowed the pace in October and November from larger increases amid predictions of a looming oversupply. New Western sanctions on Opec member... https://www.scmp.com/news/world/russia-central-asia/article/3331245/opec-agrees-output-increase-moderates-plans-due-glut-fears?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/world/russia-central-asia/article/3331245/opec-agrees-output-increase-moderates-plans-due-glut-fears?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 02 Nov 2025 13:31:54 +0000 Reuters Reuters US President Donald Trump pushed Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky to give up swathes of territory to Russia during a tense meeting on Friday that left the Ukrainian delegation disappointed, according to two people briefed on the discussion. Trump also declined to provide Tomahawk missiles for Ukraine’s use, and mused about giving security guarantees to both Kyiv and Moscow, comments that the Ukrainian delegation found confusing, added the two sources, who requested anonymity to discuss a... https://www.scmp.com/news/world/russia-central-asia/article/3329596/trump-urged-zelensky-cut-deal-putin-or-risk-facing-destruction?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/world/russia-central-asia/article/3329596/trump-urged-zelensky-cut-deal-putin-or-risk-facing-destruction?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 19 Oct 2025 19:05:13 +0000 SCMP Editorial SCMP Editorial It seems like only yesterday that the global financial world collectively declared China “uninvestable” and Hong Kong’s once-cherished financial status went down with it. Those same investors are now coming back in droves. If every crisis presents an opportunity, the city is taking that adage to heart. From the expansion of services such as borrowing and hedging the yuan inside mainland China to experimentation in new financial tools such as blockchain currency tokenisation, Hong Kong is... https://www.scmp.com/opinion/comment/article/3328762/hong-kongs-reinvention-ensures-its-future-thriving-financial-hub?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/opinion/comment/article/3328762/hong-kongs-reinvention-ensures-its-future-thriving-financial-hub?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 13 Oct 2025 22:45:07 +0000 William Yiu William Yiu The number of international first-year students at Hong Kong’s public universities remained below pre-pandemic levels in the last academic year despite the government doubling quotas for non-locals, with an admissions official saying Singapore has emerged as a growing education powerhouse. The official from a local university also said some overseas students preferred to study in Singapore over Hong Kong because the city state’s strong rankings reflected its educational status. In Hong Kong,... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/education/article/3328660/hong-kong-fight-foreign-university-students-singapore-emerges-rival?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/education/article/3328660/hong-kong-fight-foreign-university-students-singapore-emerges-rival?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 12 Oct 2025 01:00:17 +0000 Reuters Reuters Russian President Vladimir Putin told Azerbaijan’s leader that two Russian missiles had detonated beside an Azerbaijan Airlines plane last year after Ukrainian drones entered Russian airspace, and promised compensation to those affected. Flight J2-8243, en route from Baku to the Chechen capital Grozny, crash-landed on December 25, near Aktau in Kazakhstan after diverting from southern Russia, where Ukrainian drones were reported to be attacking several targets. At least 38 people were... https://www.scmp.com/news/world/russia-central-asia/article/3328417/putin-admits-russian-missiles-downed-azerbaijan-airlines-flight-last-year?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/world/russia-central-asia/article/3328417/putin-admits-russian-missiles-downed-azerbaijan-airlines-flight-last-year?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 09 Oct 2025 13:12:09 +0000 Kandy Wong Kandy Wong While Kazakhstan is cooperating closely with China on the digitalisation of trade, a government official from the Central Asian country said this week that more infrastructure investment is needed – including along the Middle Corridor trade route – for it to realise its aim of becoming a bridge between Asia and Europe. Exporters turned to the Middle Corridor – which connects China and Europe via Kazakhstan, Azerbaijan, Georgia and Turkey – as an alternative to the northern route of the... https://www.scmp.com/economy/global-economy/article/3328371/kazakh-official-urges-investment-help-country-connect-china-and-europe?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/economy/global-economy/article/3328371/kazakh-official-urges-investment-help-country-connect-china-and-europe?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 09 Oct 2025 13:00:15 +0000 Aileen Chuang Aileen Chuang In the first instalment of a six-part series about financiers who act as mainland China’s Capital Connectors with the world, UBS Securities’ chairwoman Janice Hu talks about the opportunities and challenges for Hong Kong in its evolution as an international financial hub. As Beijing recalibrates trade and investment away from the US, Hong Kong is being cast once again as the launch pad for China’s global ambitions. A surge in cross-border flows between the city and the mainland this year has... https://www.scmp.com/business/banking-finance/article/3327765/hong-kong-strengthens-role-chinas-financial-springboard-says-ubs-china-chief?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/business/banking-finance/article/3327765/hong-kong-strengthens-role-chinas-financial-springboard-says-ubs-china-chief?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 06 Oct 2025 00:30:11 +0000 Julie Zhang Julie Zhang Three Chinese mainland companies made stellar trading debuts on the Hong Kong stock exchange on Tuesday, burnishing the city’s credentials as the world’s top fundraising market. All three companies’ shares opened higher, with watch designer and manufacturer Shenzhen Hipine Precision leading the surge, opening with a 184 per cent gain from its offer price of HK$29.60. It closed up 258 per cent at HK$106. Trading under the stock code 2259, gold miner Zijin Gold International’s shares opened at... https://www.scmp.com/business/banking-finance/article/3327312/zijin-gold-makes-solid-hong-kong-trading-debut-shares-jump-56?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/business/banking-finance/article/3327312/zijin-gold-makes-solid-hong-kong-trading-debut-shares-jump-56?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 30 Sep 2025 02:31:09 +0000 Xinmei Shen Xinmei Shen The Hong Kong Monetary Authority (HKMA) cautioned investors that no stablecoins pegged to the offshore yuan had been approved for issuance in the city, as regulators sought to temper the frenzy surrounding digital assets. In a statement published on WeChat on Wednesday, the HKMA refuted claims circulating on social media that the first offshore yuan-pegged stablecoin had been issued in Hong Kong. The authority said it had not granted any licences for stablecoin issuers and deemed any related... https://www.scmp.com/tech/blockchain/article/3326796/hong-kong-warns-against-unapproved-yuan-stablecoins-amid-crypto-frenzy?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/tech/blockchain/article/3326796/hong-kong-warns-against-unapproved-yuan-stablecoins-amid-crypto-frenzy?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 25 Sep 2025 07:00:10 +0000 Aileen Chuang Aileen Chuang A recent dual-listing at the Astana International Financial Centre (AIFC) in Kazakhstan has been hailed as an “icebreaker” for Kazakh and Chinese issuers who are showing growing interest in pursuing cross-border equity and debt deals. According to AIFC’s governor Renat Bekturov, the debut of tungsten miner Jiaxin International Resources on both the Hong Kong and Kazakh stock exchanges last month sparked “a lot of interest” from Kazakh and Chinese companies wanting to follow suit. “It was an... https://www.scmp.com/business/banking-finance/article/3326213/kazakh-hong-kong-dual-listing-icebreaker-regional-belt-and-road-businesses?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/business/banking-finance/article/3326213/kazakh-hong-kong-dual-listing-icebreaker-regional-belt-and-road-businesses?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 21 Sep 2025 01:30:13 +0000 Enoch Yiu Enoch Yiu Zijin Gold International, a wholly owned unit of China’s Zijin Mining, aims to raise HK$24.98 billion (US$3.21 billion) in an initial public offering (IPO) that would be Hong Kong’s second largest this year. Zijin Gold launched the sale of 349 million shares at an offer price of HK$71.59 per share on Friday, with the offering running until noon on Wednesday, according to its prospectus released on Friday. The deal would be second only to the US$5.24 billion May IPO of Contemporary Amperex... https://www.scmp.com/business/banking-finance/article/3326096/zijin-gold-launches-second-biggest-hong-kong-ipo-year-eyeing-us32-billion?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/business/banking-finance/article/3326096/zijin-gold-launches-second-biggest-hong-kong-ipo-year-eyeing-us32-billion?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 19 Sep 2025 05:16:50 +0000 Bernard Chan Bernard Chan China’s recent high-profile diplomatic activity, including the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) summit in Tianjin and the Victory Day parade in Beijing in the same week, conveyed more than international headlines suggested. Although much of the media spotlight focused on the optics of Russian President Vladimir Putin, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi and North Korean leader Kim Jong-un, I think the real story centres on pragmatic engagement, regional reassurance and the realignment of... https://www.scmp.com/opinion/china-opinion/article/3325907/focusing-pageantry-west-misses-point-chinas-diplomacy?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/opinion/china-opinion/article/3325907/focusing-pageantry-west-misses-point-chinas-diplomacy?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 19 Sep 2025 01:30:08 +0000 Bloomberg Bloomberg GIC, Millennium Management and Hillhouse Investment are among heavyweights that are set to invest in Zijin Gold International’s initial public offering (IPO) in Hong Kong, according to people familiar with the matter. BlackRock, Fidelity International and Baillie Gifford were also among cornerstone investors that were poised to get around half of the IPO shares, the people said, asking not to be identified because the information is not public. The line-up of marquee names investing in Zijin... https://www.scmp.com/business/companies/article/3326013/zijin-golds-hong-kong-ipo-draws-heavyweights-gic-millennium-and-hillhouse-sources-say?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/business/companies/article/3326013/zijin-golds-hong-kong-ipo-draws-heavyweights-gic-millennium-and-hillhouse-sources-say?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 18 Sep 2025 10:25:20 +0000 Jane Cai Jane Cai When Beijing company executive Lillian Zhu saw the Tianjin Museum’s exhibition of Kazakhstan artefacts earlier this year, she was captivated by the vibrant culture of Central Asia and was determined to find out more. “It struck me how little I knew about the Silk Road countries beyond China. The fusion of nomadic and settled lifestyles is so intriguing,” she said. Inspired by the display of nearly 200 artefacts from Kazakhstan’s National Museum, Zhu booked a 15-day study tour this summer to the... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/politics/article/3325479/central-asia-draws-chinese-tourists-chinas-belt-and-road-plan-revitalises-region?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/politics/article/3325479/central-asia-draws-chinese-tourists-chinas-belt-and-road-plan-revitalises-region?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 15 Sep 2025 04:00:33 +0000 Emil Avdaliani Emil Avdaliani Over the past year, the US has moved to expand cooperation with Central Asian countries on critical minerals. This is being done in an effort to limit China’s chokehold on the resources that are critical to a range of industries where Beijing and Washington are locked in competition. Yet, the United States is lagging behind China in Central Asia. Beijing has long developed an efficient strategy to position itself as a dominant actor in the region’s critical minerals sector. Uzbekistan is a key... https://www.scmp.com/opinion/china-opinion/article/3325069/race-central-asias-rare-earths-china-leaving-us-dust?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/opinion/china-opinion/article/3325069/race-central-asias-rare-earths-china-leaving-us-dust?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 14 Sep 2025 08:30:08 +0000 Julie Zhang Julie Zhang Business ties between mainland China and the Middle East were deepening, with Hong Kong playing a pivotal role as a value‑added “superconnector”, panellists said at the Belt and Road Summit on Thursday. “There are a lot of opportunities happening between the two countries [Oman and China],” said Ibrahim Al-Eisri, chief investment officer of private markets at the Oman Investment Authority, who spoke during a panel discussion on exploring new markets and industries. “We have seen a big flow of... https://www.scmp.com/business/china-business/article/3325166/hong-kong-sharpens-superconnector-role-china-gcc-trade-hits-us288-billion?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/business/china-business/article/3325166/hong-kong-sharpens-superconnector-role-china-gcc-trade-hits-us288-billion?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 11 Sep 2025 09:00:11 +0000