https://www.scmp.com/rss/519219/feed en https://assets.i-scmp.com/static/img/icons/scmp-meta-1200x630.png https://www.scmp.com Jeffie Lam Jeffie Lam Hong Kong is an excellent option for Central Asian companies considering secondary listings to raise funds for expansion due to its deep liquidity, as the city eyes rapidly growing markets in the region, Hong Kong Exchanges and Clearing (HKEX) CEO Bonnie Chan Yiting has said. Chan, who will join a high-level delegation led by Chief Executive John Lee Ka-chiu to Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan in early June, also said the city’s bourse was “definitely” eyeing closer collaboration with its counterparts... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/hong-kong-economy/article/3355077/hong-kong-eyes-central-asian-listings-hkex-ceo-pitches-citys-deep-liquidity?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/hong-kong-economy/article/3355077/hong-kong-eyes-central-asian-listings-hkex-ceo-pitches-citys-deep-liquidity?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 28 May 2026 00:30:05 +0000 Laura Zhou Laura Zhou Central Asia is tilting more decisively towards China as geopolitical uncertainty deepens, with Beijing’s expanding influence recasting the former Soviet states’ strategic orientation. In the first of a three-part series, Laura Zhou looks at how vulnerabilities laid bare by the Iran war might make the region look to China for water security. The US-Israel war on Iran has crippled global supply chains, choking off the world’s energy supply alongside reserves of critical commodities like... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3355019/iran-war-stokes-water-security-fears-central-asia-could-turn-china?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3355019/iran-war-stokes-water-security-fears-central-asia-could-turn-china?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 27 May 2026 22:00:05 +0000 Jeffie Lam Jeffie Lam Telecoms giant China Mobile International is planning another route to connect terrestrial cables in Central Asia with Hong Kong’s submarine network, aiming to enable more efficient data transmission between the “stan” countries and the rest of the world, a senior executive has said. Kevin Chan Kin-fan, the company’s head of carrier business, said the developing telecommunications sector in Central Asia presented significant opportunities. He added that his company was ready to support mainland... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/hong-kong-economy/article/3354807/china-mobile-plans-fresh-central-asia-link-hong-kong-submarine-cable-network?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/hong-kong-economy/article/3354807/china-mobile-plans-fresh-central-asia-link-hong-kong-submarine-cable-network?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 26 May 2026 02:00:14 +0000 Matthew Cheng Matthew Cheng Hong Kong private equity firm Templewater is eyeing investment opportunities in Central Asia’s real estate, energy transition and healthcare sectors, while positioning itself as a “superconnector” to channel capital from the Middle East into the emerging market. Cliff Zhang Kun, chairman of Templewater, also stressed the need for businesses to diversify their investments and shift from traditional Western markets towards emerging economies amid geopolitical volatility. Zhang, who will join a... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/hong-kong-economy/article/3354796/private-equity-firm-templewater-primed-hong-kong-moves-deepen-central-asia-ties?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/hong-kong-economy/article/3354796/private-equity-firm-templewater-primed-hong-kong-moves-deepen-central-asia-ties?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 25 May 2026 23:00:07 +0000 Jeffie Lam Jeffie Lam Hong Kong’s push into Central Asia aims to strengthen links between mainland China and the region while reinforcing the city’s role as a professional services hub for belt and road countries, although economic gains may take time, analysts have said. They added that Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan, given their strategic positions, were logical destinations for Hong Kong to pursue business opportunities amid geopolitical uncertainty and the war in the Middle East. Chief Executive John Lee Ka-chiu... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/hong-kong-economy/article/3354240/hong-kongs-central-asia-pivot-boost-belt-and-road-role-analysts-say?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/hong-kong-economy/article/3354240/hong-kongs-central-asia-pivot-boost-belt-and-road-role-analysts-say?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 20 May 2026 23:00:06 +0000 Jeffie Lam Jeffie Lam Kazakhstan aims to deepen its financial services cooperation with Hong Kong, viewing it as an ideal fundraising hub to access renminbi capital through bond issuances, according to the country’s top envoy in the city. In an exclusive interview with the South China Morning Post, Bauyrzhan Dosmanbetov, Kazakhstan’s consul general in Hong Kong, also said the Central Asian country’s community in the city had grown over the past decade to about 1,000, driven by the local government’s Belt and Road... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/hong-kong-economy/article/3354120/kazakhstan-deepen-financial-services-cooperation-hong-kong-consul-says?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/hong-kong-economy/article/3354120/kazakhstan-deepen-financial-services-cooperation-hong-kong-consul-says?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 20 May 2026 00:30:05 +0000 SCMP Editorial SCMP Editorial Central Asia is fast becoming Hong Kong’s next frontier for growth as the city makes a major strategic pivot towards the region. This welcome new direction is about to be further embraced, after the announcement that Chief Executive John Lee Ka-chiu will lead his administration’s biggest business delegation to Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan next month. More than 30 Hong Kong business leaders from sectors ranging from logistics to innovation and technology as well as about 30 entrepreneurs from... https://www.scmp.com/opinion/comment/article/3354067/central-asia-trip-will-open-new-horizons-prosperity-hong-kong?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/opinion/comment/article/3354067/central-asia-trip-will-open-new-horizons-prosperity-hong-kong?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 19 May 2026 22:45:04 +0000 Jeffie Lam Jeffie Lam Hong Kong’s leader will visit Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan early next month to explore and seize new business opportunities, making Central Asia his latest area of focus, with the largest delegation to date travelling with him. After several years of promoting the city in the Middle East and Southeast Asia amid geopolitical uncertainties, Chief Executive John Lee Ka-chiu said on Tuesday that he was turning his attention to Central Asia. The delegation he will lead to the two key countries under... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/hong-kong-economy/article/3354036/john-lee-lead-administrations-largest-delegation-kazakhstan-uzbekistan-june?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/hong-kong-economy/article/3354036/john-lee-lead-administrations-largest-delegation-kazakhstan-uzbekistan-june?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 19 May 2026 02:13:29 +0000 Ron Emmons Ron Emmons I WAS BORN in Bangkok in 1971, and grew up in a family where roles were clearly defined but influence was not always where it appeared to be. My father, who ran a real-estate development business, was seen as the strategist while my mother quietly ran the engine of the family: managing finances, raising us and ensuring everything functioned seamlessly. That dynamic shaped my understanding of leadership early on; that true control often sits behind the scenes and that execution is as powerful as... https://www.scmp.com/postmag/travel/article/3353391/meet-anchalika-kijkanakorn-thai-hotelier-redefining-luxury-resorts-through-wellness-and-meaningful?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/postmag/travel/article/3353391/meet-anchalika-kijkanakorn-thai-hotelier-redefining-luxury-resorts-through-wellness-and-meaningful?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 18 May 2026 00:00:08 +0000 SCMP Editorial SCMP Editorial If critics still doubt Hong Kong’s economy is ready to roar back, the latest numbers should offer some assurance. The city posted its fastest quarterly economic growth in nearly five years, hitting 5.9 per cent and outpacing the last quarter of 2025 at 4 per cent. Given the external headwinds from conflict in the Middle East to trade friction between the two superpowers and a shaky world economic outlook, the strong performance is rather impressive. However, the question remains whether the city... https://www.scmp.com/opinion/comment/article/3352855/gdp-uptick-signals-hong-kongs-economy-right-path?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/opinion/comment/article/3352855/gdp-uptick-signals-hong-kongs-economy-right-path?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 08 May 2026 22:45:05 +0000 Ambrose Li Ambrose Li The leaders of Hong Kong and Uzbekistan met on Wednesday to strengthen trade ties, as China and the Central Asian country signed 15 bilateral agreements covering areas such as infrastructure, healthcare and metal production. At a meeting at Government House with Uzbek Prime Minister Abdulla Nigmatovich Aripov, Chief Executive John Lee Ka-chiu pledged to expand Hong Kong’s presence in belt and road markets and strengthen cooperation. Speaking later at a forum and exhibition with the Uzbek... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/hong-kong-economy/article/3352647/hong-kong-pledges-deeper-ties-uzbekistan-china-signs-bilateral-agreements?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/hong-kong-economy/article/3352647/hong-kong-pledges-deeper-ties-uzbekistan-china-signs-bilateral-agreements?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 06 May 2026 12:39:00 +0000 Ambrose Li Ambrose Li Uzbek Prime Minister Abdulla Aripov will visit Hong Kong two days after a 200-strong delegation from the Central Asian country arrived in the city via a charter flight on Monday to explore collaboration opportunities. It was understood that a high-level Hong Kong delegation will also visit Uzbekistan and Kazakhstan soon. Commissioner for Belt and Road Initiative Nicholas Ho Lik-chi said he was “very bullish” about the city’s relationship with Uzbekistan at a welcome event for the largest... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/hong-kong-economy/article/3352411/uzbek-pm-abdulla-aripov-join-milestone-200-member-delegation-hong-kong?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/hong-kong-economy/article/3352411/uzbek-pm-abdulla-aripov-join-milestone-200-member-delegation-hong-kong?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 04 May 2026 16:06:34 +0000 Yeon Woo Lee Yeon Woo Lee Once a niche destination, Central Asia is quickly emerging as a key market for Chinese travellers, supported by robust traffic growth, expanding air links and deeper economic ties under Beijing’s Belt and Road Initiative, according to analysts. Data from the Civil Aviation Administration of China showed that passenger traffic to Central Asia grew 59.3 per cent in 2025 from a year earlier, marking one of the fastest growth rates among all regions tracked, said Mayur Patel, commercial and industry... https://www.scmp.com/economy/china-economy/article/3351340/chinese-travellers-flock-central-asia-flight-bookings-soar-120-pre-covid-levels?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/economy/china-economy/article/3351340/chinese-travellers-flock-central-asia-flight-bookings-soar-120-pre-covid-levels?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 26 Apr 2026 08:00:11 +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 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 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 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 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 Sumnima Kandangwa Sumnima Kandangwa If there is one thing you should watch in the 2026 Winter Olympics as it kicks off this week, it’s Ilia Malinin’s Olympic debut. At only 21 years old, he has already been dubbed the world’s greatest figure skater and has earned the nickname “quad god” for being the only skater ever to land a quad axel in competition. Malinin first showcased the jump, a difficult feat that requires four and a half rotations, at the 2022 US International Classic. He has since performed his signature move multiple... https://www.scmp.com/magazines/style/people/celebrities/article/3342463/meet-ilia-malinin-figure-skating-quad-god-whos-favourite-winter-olympic-gold?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/magazines/style/people/celebrities/article/3342463/meet-ilia-malinin-figure-skating-quad-god-whos-favourite-winter-olympic-gold?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 05 Feb 2026 22:00:15 +0000 Agence France-Presse Agence France-Presse “Assemble!” someone bellowed in the prison corridor, cutting through the silence. Murmurs began echoing off the white walls, and the stairwells filled with people from all over the world: Egyptians, Chinese, Cameroonians, Kenyans, an Italian - all soldiers captured fighting for Russia, now held in a Ukrainian jail. Some joined the Russian military in search of a better life or to escape their home countries, while others were persuaded by Russia’s war aims. Some say they were tricked or forced... https://www.scmp.com/news/world/europe/article/3341825/foreign-pows-who-fought-russia-now-stuck-ukraine-prison-limbo?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/world/europe/article/3341825/foreign-pows-who-fought-russia-now-stuck-ukraine-prison-limbo?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 30 Jan 2026 08:24:50 +0000 Agence France-Presse Agence France-Presse The decapitated body of a woman, whose legs were also cut off, was found in a rubbish bin in Istanbul overnight, Turkish media reported on Sunday, sparking fury from women’s groups. Her body was wrapped in a sheet and dumped in a rubbish container in the Sisli district, where it was discovered on Saturday evening by a paper collector looking for items to recycle, the DHA news agency said. Investigators identified the victim as a 37-year-old Uzbek national. They were not immediately able to find... https://www.scmp.com/news/world/europe/article/3341186/anger-rights-groups-womans-headless-body-found-istanbul-rubbish-bin?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/world/europe/article/3341186/anger-rights-groups-womans-headless-body-found-istanbul-rubbish-bin?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 25 Jan 2026 19:46:39 +0000 Carol Yang Carol Yang Beijing is looking to expand China’s world-leading network of high-speed trains by 19 per cent within five years in an ongoing bid to boost connectivity across the country. The national railway operator unveiled the blueprint on Sunday to expand the country’s operational rail network to around 180,000km (112,000 miles) by 2030 – with high-speed routes totalling 60,000km and accounting for one-third of the full network – as part of the country’s infrastructure push under the nation’s 2026–2030... https://www.scmp.com/economy/china-economy/article/3338778/china-plans-19-high-speed-rail-expansion-2030-amid-global-dominance-sector?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/economy/china-economy/article/3338778/china-plans-19-high-speed-rail-expansion-2030-amid-global-dominance-sector?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 05 Jan 2026 09:32:16 +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 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 A UN wildlife trade body decided on Sunday not to restrict India from importing endangered animals after many countries supported reversing an earlier stringent recommendation that had embroiled the private zoo run by Asia’s richest family. Vantara, a 3,500-acre zoo in Gujarat run by the philanthropic arm of the Reliance conglomerate led by Mukesh Ambani and his family, faced allegations from non-profit and wildlife groups of improper imports of some animals, triggering higher scrutiny by... https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/south-asia/article/3333853/ambani-zoo-india-cleared-probe-curbing-endangered-animal-imports?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/south-asia/article/3333853/ambani-zoo-india-cleared-probe-curbing-endangered-animal-imports?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 23 Nov 2025 10:20:14 +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 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 Payal Uttam Payal Uttam Bukhara once flourished as a Silk Road hub, where travelling poets, merchants and scholars converged. But under Soviet rule during the 20th century, the Uzbekistani city was for decades sealed off from the world, with few outsiders entering. This autumn, the narrow streets of the medieval city are abuzz again, but with a very different crowd: international art collectors, curators and artists gathering for the inaugural Bukhara Biennial. Taking place in recently restored caravanserais (historic... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/arts/article/3326930/how-central-asias-largest-art-biennale-bukhara-signals-new-chapter-uzbekistan?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/arts/article/3326930/how-central-asias-largest-art-biennale-bukhara-signals-new-chapter-uzbekistan?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 29 Sep 2025 04:45:07 +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 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 Wynna Wong Wynna Wong Hong Kong has signed nine agreements with belt and road countries, with companies sealing dozens of business deals worth nearly US$1 billion (HK$7.8 billion), the city’s leader announced at a major summit, pledging to enter into more collaborations in the future. At the 10th edition of the two-day Belt and Road Summit on Wednesday, Chief Executive John Lee Ka-chiu also said Hong Kong’s external trade with countries under the initiative exceeded US$276 billion last year, an 80 per cent increase... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/hong-kong-economy/article/3324990/hong-kong-ink-9-agreements-seal-deals-worth-us1-billion-belt-and-road-countries?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/hong-kong-economy/article/3324990/hong-kong-ink-9-agreements-seal-deals-worth-us1-billion-belt-and-road-countries?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 10 Sep 2025 04:24:27 +0000 Yuanyue Dang Yuanyue Dang In less than a week, Chinese President Xi Jinping has held bilateral talks with leaders from more than 20 countries during two high-profile events – the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) summit in the northern port city of Tianjin and the Victory Day commemoration in Beijing. The themes of the talks have shed more light on China’s engagement with partners as Beijing casts itself as a champion of a multipolar global order and forges closer economic cooperation. Multilateralism: a keyword... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3324340/xi-jinpings-diplomatic-marathon-casts-new-light-chinas-foreign-policy?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3324340/xi-jinpings-diplomatic-marathon-casts-new-light-chinas-foreign-policy?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 04 Sep 2025 09:03:56 +0000 Dewey Sim Dewey Sim Brilliant. Pivotal. Very well held. That is how some countries described the massive military parade in the heart of the Chinese capital on Wednesday. But these countries are either some of China’s closest neighbours or part of the developing world – a group that Beijing has long sought to influence. Elsewhere, particularly in the West, the reaction was more critical. The parade had a dual effect – it marked 80 years since the end of World War II and showcased China’s growing military might and... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3324194/reviews-are-chinas-allies-give-top-marks-parade-west-not-won-over?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3324194/reviews-are-chinas-allies-give-top-marks-parade-west-not-won-over?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 03 Sep 2025 12:00:07 +0000 Ji Siqi Ji Siqi A slew of foreign leaders took China’s signature high-speed railway from the northern port city of Tianjin to Beijing on Monday and Tuesday, having departed from the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) summit to attend a Victory Day parade. Seven state leaders arrived on Monday night: President of Belarus Aleksandr Lukashenko, Prime Minister of Pakistan Shehbaz Sharif, President of Kazakhstan Kassym-Jomart Tokayev, President of Uzbekistan Shavkat Mirziyoyev, President of the Maldives Mohamed... https://www.scmp.com/economy/global-economy/article/3324061/foreign-leaders-ride-rapid-rails-chinas-technological-prowess-after-sco-summit?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/economy/global-economy/article/3324061/foreign-leaders-ride-rapid-rails-chinas-technological-prowess-after-sco-summit?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 02 Sep 2025 09:31:46 +0000 Vanessa Cai Vanessa Cai The Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) was founded in 2001 as a Eurasian security bloc by China, Russia and the four Central Asian nations of Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan and Uzbekistan. It now has 10 full member states, with the addition of Belarus, India, Iran and Pakistan in the past decade. In all, the bloc now brings together 26 countries across Asia, Europe and Africa, including observer states Mongolia and Afghanistan and 14 dialogue partners: Sri Lanka, Turkey, Cambodia,... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3324033/sco-summit-2025-china-showcase-how-far-bloc-has-come-nearly-quarter-century?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3324033/sco-summit-2025-china-showcase-how-far-bloc-has-come-nearly-quarter-century?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 02 Sep 2025 07:40:15 +0000 Alyssa Chen Alyssa Chen The Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) has adopted a 10-year strategy aimed at advancing a multipolar world, according to Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi. The strategy comes at a time when the regional bloc, in a joint declaration, has acknowledged that escalating geopolitical tensions pose an increasing threat to its security. Speaking to reporters after a summit on Monday, Wang said that the SCO Development Strategy until 2035 had “set the tone and a clear direction” for the decade to... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3323963/sco-has-10-year-plan-multipolar-world-chinas-wang-yi-says?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3323963/sco-has-10-year-plan-multipolar-world-chinas-wang-yi-says?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 01 Sep 2025 14:21:17 +0000 Dewey Sim Dewey Sim China has urged member states of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) to strengthen their collective financial security and voice in the world as pressure mounts from the United States and its allies. Without naming any country, President Xi Jinping told the SCO state leaders – many of them facing blanket sanctions and punitive tariffs from the US – that the organisation needed to speed up and achieve “real results” to better protect themselves from “hegemonic” bullying. To that end, Xi... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3323954/us-sanctions-take-toll-xi-jinping-presses-sco-target-bullying?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3323954/us-sanctions-take-toll-xi-jinping-presses-sco-target-bullying?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 01 Sep 2025 14:00:08 +0000 Ralph Jennings Ralph Jennings Investments under China’s Belt and Road Initiative surged in the first half of the year – particularly for projects in Central Asia related to metals and mining – leading some analysts to conclude Beijing is seeking access to critical natural resources as a precaution against escalatory trade restrictions from the United States. The 150 countries taking part in the global infrastructure initiative received a combined US$124 billion in investments and construction contracts from January to June,... https://www.scmp.com/economy/china-economy/article/3323354/china-steps-belt-and-road-initiative-funding-focus-central-asia?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/economy/china-economy/article/3323354/china-steps-belt-and-road-initiative-funding-focus-central-asia?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 27 Aug 2025 15:00:09 +0000 Nikola Mikovic Nikola Mikovic While United States President Donald Trump aims to end – or at least freeze – the Ukraine conflict and portray himself as a peacemaker, China seems to be quietly expanding its influence in Eurasia – a region that Halford Mackinder, “the father of geopolitics”, viewed as the key to global power. The coming Shanghai Cooperation Organisation summit, scheduled to start on August 31 in Tianjin, is expected to provide another opportunity for Beijing to strengthen its political, economic and military... https://www.scmp.com/opinion/asia-opinion/article/3323022/beijing-expands-its-influence-eurasia-trump-triggers-geopolitical-shifts?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/opinion/asia-opinion/article/3323022/beijing-expands-its-influence-eurasia-trump-triggers-geopolitical-shifts?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 25 Aug 2025 22:30:07 +0000 Kandy Wong Kandy Wong As America retreats from clean energy investment around the world, with US President Donald Trump labelling wind and solar power “the scam of the century” on Wednesday, Chinese “cleantech” firms have been striding into emerging markets in Southeast and Central Asia and Latin America. Mabill Technologies, a Malaysian cleantech start-up developing a predictive AI algorithm that will connect energy efficiency analytics and sustainable cooling solutions, said Chinese investors had been showing... https://www.scmp.com/economy/china-economy/article/3322824/us-retreats-clean-energy-race-chinese-firms-push-emerging-markets?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/economy/china-economy/article/3322824/us-retreats-clean-energy-race-chinese-firms-push-emerging-markets?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 22 Aug 2025 12:30:12 +0000 Ji Siqi Ji Siqi China will further enhance connectivity with other countries by expanding its high-speed railway network, a senior politician pledged on Tuesday. The country intends to promote both the “hard connectivity” of infrastructure and the “soft connectivity” of standards and rules to position high-speed rail as a cornerstone for advancing the nation’s Belt and Road Initiative, Vice-Premier Zhang Guoqing said at the opening ceremony of the 12th World Congress on High-Speed Rail in Beijing. “China is... https://www.scmp.com/economy/china-economy/article/3317391/china-speed-bullet-train-connectivity-neighbours?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/economy/china-economy/article/3317391/china-speed-bullet-train-connectivity-neighbours?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 08 Jul 2025 11:57:01 +0000 Igor Patrick,Khushboo Razdan Igor Patrick,Khushboo Razdan Brics leaders have called for stronger cohesion, expanded trade and increased use of local currency to improve the Global South’s clout as an alternative to Western power, even as the bloc of emerging markets maintains ties and partnerships with wealthier countries. As two new members joined the New Development Bank, also known as the “Brics bank”, Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim told business leaders and investors on Saturday that this delicate balancing act and bid for greater momentum... https://www.scmp.com/news/world/americas/article/3317125/brics-leaders-urge-cohesion-trade-and-use-local-currency-grow-global-south-clout?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/world/americas/article/3317125/brics-leaders-urge-cohesion-trade-and-use-local-currency-grow-global-south-clout?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 06 Jul 2025 05:00:15 +0000 Reuters Reuters Russia said on Thursday it had accepted the credentials of a new ambassador of Afghanistan, making it the first nation to recognise the Taliban government of the country. In a statement, the Russian foreign ministry said Moscow saw good prospects to develop ties and would continue to support Kabul in security, counterterrorism and combating drug crime. It also saw significant trade and economic opportunities, especially in energy, transport, agriculture and infrastructure. “We believe that the... https://www.scmp.com/news/world/russia-central-asia/article/3316877/russia-becomes-first-country-recognise-taliban-government-afghanistan?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/world/russia-central-asia/article/3316877/russia-becomes-first-country-recognise-taliban-government-afghanistan?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 03 Jul 2025 19:50:39 +0000 Nikola Mikovic Nikola Mikovic As Israel’s war on Iran rages and Russia intensifies its missile and drone strikes on Kyiv, China is quietly expanding its influence in Central Asia. The second China-Central Asia Summit, held in Astana in Kazakhstan last week, was an ideal opportunity for Beijing to strengthen economic and political ties not only with the host country but also with Kyrgyzstan, Uzbekistan, Turkmenistan and Tajikistan. The Astana Times reported that a total of 58 agreements worth nearly US$25 billion were signed... https://www.scmp.com/opinion/asia-opinion/article/3314892/why-chinas-central-asian-footprint-about-get-bigger?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/opinion/asia-opinion/article/3314892/why-chinas-central-asian-footprint-about-get-bigger?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 22 Jun 2025 08:30:07 +0000 SCMP Editorial SCMP Editorial Amid wars in the Middle East and Eastern Europe and geopolitical tensions, Central Asia is a comparative oasis of peace, stability and cooperation. This was reflected this week in the second China-Central Asia Summit. The six countries signed a landmark permanent friendship pact, and President Xi Jinping pledged 1.5 billion yuan (HK$1.6 billion) in livelihood and development assistance to China’s five partners – Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan. China shares land... https://www.scmp.com/opinion/comment/article/3315305/central-asia-friendship-pact-bolsters-stability?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/opinion/comment/article/3315305/central-asia-friendship-pact-bolsters-stability?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 20 Jun 2025 22:30:07 +0000 Alyssa Chen Alyssa Chen At a high-level summit this week, China and its Central Asian partners voiced their shared security concerns and showed a united front amid a turbulent global landscape. The close ties between Beijing and the five Central Asian countries – whose leaders met at the China-Central Asia Summit in Kazakhstan on Tuesday – have sparked questions about whether Russia’s regional dominance is waning as it remains preoccupied with the Ukraine war. Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov dismissed this possibility... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3315092/chinas-influence-growing-central-asia-what-does-mean-russia?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3315092/chinas-influence-growing-central-asia-what-does-mean-russia?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 20 Jun 2025 02:00:08 +0000 Alyssa Chen Alyssa Chen China wrapped up its latest engagement effort in Central Asia on Tuesday with a 1.5 billion (US$209 million) yuan pledge towards livelihood and development projects in the region. The six participating countries in the second China-Central Asia Summit also signed a landmark permanent friendship pact. “China is willing to provide 1.5 billion yuan in grant assistance to Central Asian countries this year to support livelihood and development projects of common concern to each country,” Chinese... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3314828/china-and-central-asian-leaders-cap-summit-friendship-pact-and-aid-pledge?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3314828/china-and-central-asian-leaders-cap-summit-friendship-pact-and-aid-pledge?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 17 Jun 2025 14:04:55 +0000