https://www.scmp.com/rss/519397/feed en https://assets.i-scmp.com/static/img/icons/scmp-meta-1200x630.png https://www.scmp.com 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 Sam Beltran Sam Beltran Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jnr’s pitch for a United Nations Security Council seat this week was notable for his sidestepping of an issue at the core of Manila’s foreign policy in recent years. As he appealed to UN members in New York, Marcos framed the Philippines as a bridge connecting developing countries and middle-income economies, without making any direct reference to the South China Sea dispute. The president’s restrained speech, which avoided mentioning China despite ongoing... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3346401/philippines-bid-un-security-council-seat-sidesteps-maritime-row?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3346401/philippines-bid-un-security-council-seat-sidesteps-maritime-row?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 13 Mar 2026 00:00:23 +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 Frank Chen,Ralph Jennings Frank Chen,Ralph Jennings China’s leading planemaker is redoubling its efforts to boost the international profile of its home-grown jets in 2026, injecting a sizeable amount of capital into a subsidiary carrier as it attempts to widen its planes’ coverage area and attract more overseas buyers. The state-owned Commercial Aircraft Corporation of China (Comac), manufacturer of the C909 regional airliner and the company’s flagship narrowbody C919, recently infused 634 million yuan (US$91.76 million) into C909 launch customer... https://www.scmp.com/economy/china-economy/article/3344157/chinas-c909-jet-gets-international-uplift-funding-adoptive-airline?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/economy/china-economy/article/3344157/chinas-c909-jet-gets-international-uplift-funding-adoptive-airline?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 23 Feb 2026 03:00:09 +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 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 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 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 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 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 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 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 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 Biman Mukherji Biman Mukherji Asia, home to more than half the world’s population, is heating up nearly twice as fast as the rest of the world, with surging temperatures intensifying extreme weather, threatening food security and fragile ecosystems, and inflicting billions in economic losses, according to a new United Nations report. The State of the Climate in Asia 2024 report, released by the World Meteorological Organization (WMO) – a UN agency charged with monitoring the planet’s atmosphere and climate – found that last... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/health-environment/article/3315522/asia-heating-double-global-rate-amid-climate-crisis-un-warns?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/health-environment/article/3315522/asia-heating-double-global-rate-amid-climate-crisis-un-warns?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 24 Jun 2025 04:00:15 +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 Leopold Chen Leopold Chen China’s cross-border yuan payment system has signed up more financial entities from Africa, Central Asia and the Middle East, as Beijing accelerates efforts to promote the global use of its currency amid rising tensions with the United States. A group of six financial institutions officially joined the yuan-based Cross-border Interbank Payment System (CIPS) as direct participants during a ceremony in Shanghai on Wednesday, becoming the latest entities to sign up to China’s alternative to the... https://www.scmp.com/economy/china-economy/article/3315064/chinas-payment-system-spreads-across-africa-and-asia-amid-us-trade-war?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/economy/china-economy/article/3315064/chinas-payment-system-spreads-across-africa-and-asia-amid-us-trade-war?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 19 Jun 2025 12:15:08 +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 Brian Rhoads,Raymond Ma Brian Rhoads,Raymond Ma Chinese President Xi Jinping is meeting with five Central Asian leaders on Tuesday, looking to deepen ties in a region rich in natural resources and strategically located at the crossroads of Europe and Asia. The heads of energy-rich Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan are all attending the second China-Central Asia Summit in Astana, the Kazakh capital. The gathering, which comes two years after China hosted the first summit in Xian, was expected to focus on security... https://www.scmp.com/plus/article/3314768/xi-boosts-china-ties-resource-rich-central-asia?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/plus/article/3314768/xi-boosts-china-ties-resource-rich-central-asia?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 17 Jun 2025 09:04:16 +0000 Alyssa Chen Alyssa Chen Chinese President Xi Jinping has arrived in Kazakhstan ahead of Tuesday’s China-Central Asia Summit as Beijing aims to firm up ties in the energy-rich and strategically important region. The trip is Xi’s third abroad this year and his sixth to Kazakhstan in the decade or so since he became president, making it Xi’s second most visited country after Russia. He is accompanied on the trip by top aide Cai Qi and Foreign Minister Wang Yi, and was greeted on arrival in Astana on Monday by Kazakh... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3314637/xi-jinping-heads-energy-rich-kazakhstan-china-central-asia-summit?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3314637/xi-jinping-heads-energy-rich-kazakhstan-china-central-asia-summit?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 16 Jun 2025 13:00:15 +0000 Alyssa Chen Alyssa Chen Chinese President Xi Jinping is expected to reaffirm Beijing’s commitment to Central Asian ties and higher quality development projects when he visits Kazakhstan for a summit next week. Xi will be in Astana from Monday to Wednesday for the China-Central Asia Summit, which is expected to focus on areas including transport, energy, security governance and the digital economy, according to analysts. It follows the first such summit in the Chinese city of Xian in 2023, when Xi vowed to strengthen... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3314519/xi-jinping-meet-central-asian-leaders-both-sides-seek-stronger-coordination?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3314519/xi-jinping-meet-central-asian-leaders-both-sides-seek-stronger-coordination?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 15 Jun 2025 14:00:07 +0000 Nikola Mikovic Nikola Mikovic For Russian President Vladimir Putin, celebrating Victory Day on May 9 appears to be a top priority. Unable to defeat Ukraine after more than three years of war, Putin is preparing to bask in the glory of the Soviet Union’s triumph over the Nazi Germany – a victory for which he can claim no credit. This year, leaders of several former Soviet republics – Belarus, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Uzbekistan, Azerbaijan, Armenia – and the presidents of Brazil, Burkina Faso,... https://www.scmp.com/opinion/china-opinion/article/3309152/how-china-became-central-russias-victory-day-parade?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/opinion/china-opinion/article/3309152/how-china-became-central-russias-victory-day-parade?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 06 May 2025 12:30:08 +0000 To reach Paris’ Eiffel Tower, Nurzhigit Abrahman had to zigzag through treacherous mountain passes and avoid an avalanche before getting a foggy glimpse of the 15-metre (50ft) high monument in a mountain hamlet in Kyrgyzstan. The settlement is one of the few spots of civilisation on the only road that links the north and south of the Central Asian nation, a bustling route amid surging trade with Russia and China. Around 100 “Parisians” live in the makeshift village, which got its name from the... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/travel-leisure/article/3297296/how-truck-stop-snowy-central-asia-called-paris-got-its-own-mini-eiffel-tower?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/travel-leisure/article/3297296/how-truck-stop-snowy-central-asia-called-paris-got-its-own-mini-eiffel-tower?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 04 Feb 2025 11:15:08 +0000 Kandy Wong Kandy Wong China is finally moving forward with plans to build a new railway to Kyrgyzstan and Uzbekistan, with analysts saying the project will play an important role in deepening Chinese ties across Central Asia and beyond. The 523km (325-mile) line – which will connect Kashgar on China’s northwestern frontier with several cities in Kyrgyzstan and Uzbekistan – had been in limbo for decades, but the project is now officially underway and the first phase could be completed by the end of the decade. China... https://www.scmp.com/economy/global-economy/article/3289676/china-green-lights-game-changing-new-railway-through-central-asia?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/economy/global-economy/article/3289676/china-green-lights-game-changing-new-railway-through-central-asia?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 06 Dec 2024 12:00:09 +0000 China’s dinosaur scientists have spent much of the past century catching up with their international peers, but now they plan to break new ground in global research with the country’s first expeditions in Central Asia, according to a leading researcher. “I have witnessed China’s dinosaur research rise from its low ebb to the vibrant state it is in now. We are ready to go global,” said Xu Xing, director of the Institute of Vertebrate Palaeontology and Palaeoanthropology (IVPP) in Beijing. The... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/science/article/3281547/chinas-dinosaur-research-ready-go-global-first-central-asia-expeditions?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/science/article/3281547/chinas-dinosaur-research-ready-go-global-first-central-asia-expeditions?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 09 Oct 2024 02:00:19 +0000 Toh Hong-keng, 70, a retired Malaysian executive based in Hong Kong, recalls gently grasping a baby by the neck to pull it from its mother’s womb during a delivery at a hospital in the Philippines. “Everything happened so fast. My god. To experience it is … you feel so good about it,” he said, recalling his first time assisting in such a procedure. One might think Toh was a senior obstetrician, but instead he is potentially the world’s oldest medical graduate after earning his degree from... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/health-environment/article/3271240/hong-kong-based-ex-executive-70-excited-chance-being-worlds-oldest-medical-graduate?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/health-environment/article/3271240/hong-kong-based-ex-executive-70-excited-chance-being-worlds-oldest-medical-graduate?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 20 Jul 2024 08:00:14 +0000 Few visitors to Buenos Aires leave without seeing a choreographed tango show, the male performers in sharp suits, the women in slit skirts, stocking tops and towering heels. Street dancers offer to entwine themselves with passers-by, their considerable décolletage pressed close for a moment’s photo opportunity. Couples spin and tilt on handkerchief-sized stages between restaurant tables to draw in customers. But this is a different world to that of the Argentinian capital’s milongas: social... https://www.scmp.com/magazines/post-magazine/long-reads/article/3270742/why-more-asian-women-are-flocking-buenos-aires-milongas-argentine-tango-beyond-tourist-traps?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/magazines/post-magazine/long-reads/article/3270742/why-more-asian-women-are-flocking-buenos-aires-milongas-argentine-tango-beyond-tourist-traps?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 18 Jul 2024 11:00:08 +0000 Isolated by the West over its actions in Ukraine, Russia seeks to retain Central Asia in its geopolitical orbit. But growing Chinese influence in the strategically important region threatens to end the era of Russian dominance in significant parts of Central Asia. Kazakhstan, the largest country in Central Asia, has close ties with both Moscow and Beijing. Despite being Russia’s ally in the Collective Security Treaty Organisation, and a member of the Russia-dominated Eurasian Economic Union,... https://www.scmp.com/opinion/world-opinion/article/3269266/has-china-gained-upper-hand-over-russia-kazakhstan?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/opinion/world-opinion/article/3269266/has-china-gained-upper-hand-over-russia-kazakhstan?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 09 Jul 2024 12:30:08 +0000 Central Asian nations in Moscow’s traditional backyard have clearly edged closer to Beijing in the two years since Russia invaded Ukraine, diplomatic observers said as Chinese President Xi Jinping wrapped up a five-day trip to the region. Xi headed back to China on Saturday after stops in Kazakhstan and Tajikistan, former Soviet states that are increasingly reliant on Beijing. Xi’s trip began with the annual summit of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) in the Kazakh capital of Astana,... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3269451/how-2-years-and-russias-war-ukraine-shifted-chinas-relationship-central-asia?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3269451/how-2-years-and-russias-war-ukraine-shifted-chinas-relationship-central-asia?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 06 Jul 2024 13:00:08 +0000 China and Russia’s bid to hold up the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) as a counterweight to the West has sparked concerns that Beijing’s economic scale might overshadow Moscow’s agenda for Central Asia, long considered a Russian “backyard”. However, observers expect Russia to focus more on cooperation than rivalry with China, given common security concerns in the Eurasian hinterland and Moscow’s eastward economic shift after its invasion of Ukraine. The annual SCO summit earlier this... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3269443/can-china-and-russia-put-aside-central-asian-rivalry-sco-aims-counter-west?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3269443/can-china-and-russia-put-aside-central-asian-rivalry-sco-aims-counter-west?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 06 Jul 2024 12:00:12 +0000 A Chinese construction team in charge of excavating a tunnel in one of the longest mountain ranges in the world has embarked on the most challenging part of the mega project – slicing several kilometres through a glacial area. The 15.7km (9.8 mile) long West Tianshan Super-long Tunnel is part of a major highway connecting southern and northern areas of China’s vast western Xinjiang region. It is expected to help boost trade and tourism and provide a vital link to Central Asia under the... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/science/article/3269194/chinese-crews-drill-under-xinjiang-glacier-super-long-highway-tunnel?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/science/article/3269194/chinese-crews-drill-under-xinjiang-glacier-super-long-highway-tunnel?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 06 Jul 2024 04:00:10 +0000 Navigating the waves and ripple effects of regional conflicts that have obscured traditional trade routes and weakened Russian influence in the Central Asian region, China is stepping up its engagement there, especially in transport connectivity. The mutual interests and win-win message were highlighted as President Xi Jinping made a state visit to Kazakhstan this week and met President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev. In a joint statement on Thursday, the two countries pledged to “improve the level of... https://www.scmp.com/economy/global-economy/article/3269361/sidestepping-russia-china-shores-new-caspian-sea-trade-route-through-central-asia-europe?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/economy/global-economy/article/3269361/sidestepping-russia-china-shores-new-caspian-sea-trade-route-through-central-asia-europe?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 05 Jul 2024 13:30:09 +0000 Passengers travelling to Kerala, south India, used to buy bus, train and plane tickets to Trivandrum (“Triv-AN-drum”), confident they were pronouncing the name of the city correctly. Then, in 1991, Trivandrum changed its name to Thiruvananthapuram (“tiru-wan-anta POOR-am”) – and bookings to Goa surged. OK, that’s not entirely true but it’s fair to say that some place names are harder to pronounce than others, and our often bungled attempts give locals reason to snigger. Here’s a collection of... https://www.scmp.com/magazines/post-magazine/travel/article/3269258/how-say-place-names-most-get-wrong-laos-and-leicester-new-orleans-and-oaxaca?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/magazines/post-magazine/travel/article/3269258/how-say-place-names-most-get-wrong-laos-and-leicester-new-orleans-and-oaxaca?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 05 Jul 2024 08:15:07 +0000 Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi has confirmed a two-day visit to Russia, following his decision to skip a regional summit where Chinese President Xi Jinping is in attendance. Analysts suggest the two moves are a sign of New Delhi’s unresolved tensions with Beijing over their border issues, its desire to maintain strong ties with Moscow and its strategic efforts at balancing relations between the two. Modi was absent from a meeting of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) – a grouping... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3269213/modi-visits-russia-sign-indias-unresolved-tensions-china-analysts-say?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3269213/modi-visits-russia-sign-indias-unresolved-tensions-china-analysts-say?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 05 Jul 2024 03:05:23 +0000 President Xi Jinping hailed China’s long-standing “unique” ties with Kazakhstan as he arrived in the Central Asian country on Tuesday for a state visit. He also pledged an “in-depth exchange of views” on bilateral and international matters with his Kazakh counterpart Kassym-Jomart Tokayev, who received the Chinese leader at the airport in the capital Astana. China and Kazakhstan have developed “a unique permanent comprehensive strategic partnership” in 32 years of diplomatic ties and a... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3268912/chinas-xi-hails-unique-links-kazakhstan-looks-forward-sco-summit?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3268912/chinas-xi-hails-unique-links-kazakhstan-looks-forward-sco-summit?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 02 Jul 2024 13:43:57 +0000 Chinese President Xi Jinping and his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin had a message for the Global South when they met in Beijing last month: unite to become stronger. China and Russia have drawn closer amid simmering tensions with the West, and both are looking to the Global South – developing nations that together account for 40 per cent of the world’s GDP and 80 per cent of its population. The pivot is seen by analysts as a powerful narrative to counter the Western-led world order, but they... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3268558/xi-and-putin-are-pivoting-global-south-it-may-not-go-plan?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3268558/xi-and-putin-are-pivoting-global-south-it-may-not-go-plan?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 29 Jun 2024 14:00:09 +0000 China have been handed a massively difficult task of qualifying for their second World Cup finals appearance after being drawn against heavyweights Japan, Australia and Saudi Arabia in the third round of Asia’s 2026 World Cup qualifiers. Not surprisingly, the hashtag “National football, group of death” shot to the top of Weibo’s trending list after the draw, attracting more than 10 million views. Many users of the social media site did not fancy China’s chances of progressing from the pool,... https://www.scmp.com/sport/football/article/3268295/world-cup-2026-china-drawn-japan-australia-saudi-arabia-next-qualifying-round?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/football/article/3268295/world-cup-2026-china-drawn-japan-australia-saudi-arabia-next-qualifying-round?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 27 Jun 2024 09:46:12 +0000 The International Criminal Court said on Tuesday it had issued arrest warrants for Russia’s top army chief and ex defence minister over strikes on Ukrainian infrastructure that constituted alleged war crimes. The ICC warrants are the latest in a series of actions by the court over the Ukraine war, including an arrest warrant for Russian President Vladimir Putin. The warrants, issued on Monday but made public on Tuesday, concerned the Chief of the General Staff Valery Gerasimov, and former... https://www.scmp.com/news/world/russia-central-asia/article/3268012/ukraine-war-icc-issues-warrant-ex-russian-defence-minister-shoigu-top-military-chief?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/world/russia-central-asia/article/3268012/ukraine-war-icc-issues-warrant-ex-russian-defence-minister-shoigu-top-military-chief?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 25 Jun 2024 12:08:10 +0000 Long before the term “gravel riding” was coined, and before dedicated gravel bikes even existed, riding the gravel roads of the Midwest United States on road and mountain bikes was commonplace. However, in the summer of 2006, some 34 pioneering cyclists lined up in Emporia, Kansas for the very first edition of Dirty Kanza, one of the first-ever gravel races, and the region has since been considered the birthplace of gravel riding. Dirty Kanza, now rebranded as Unbound Gravel, is the biggest... https://www.scmp.com/sport/outdoor/article/3267805/formula-ones-valtteri-bottas-among-those-embracing-fast-growing-sport-gravel-riding?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/outdoor/article/3267805/formula-ones-valtteri-bottas-among-those-embracing-fast-growing-sport-gravel-riding?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 24 Jun 2024 07:08:24 +0000 Armenia will leave a Russia-led security bloc, Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan confirmed for the first time, accusing members of the Collective Security Treaty Organisation of having planned a war against his country with Azerbaijan. Pashinyan, who has tried to cultivate closer ties with the United States and European Union, said in March that Armenia, traditionally a close Russian ally, would leave the CSTO unless the security bloc detailed its commitment to uphold his country’s security in a... https://www.scmp.com/news/world/russia-central-asia/article/3266407/armenia-leave-russia-led-security-alliance-pm-says-rift-moscow-deepens?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/world/russia-central-asia/article/3266407/armenia-leave-russia-led-security-alliance-pm-says-rift-moscow-deepens?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 13 Jun 2024 03:35:22 +0000 The World Cup aspirations of India and China are on the line on Tuesday when a defeat could mean elimination from Asian qualifying. A big chunk of the world’s population will be following the results with interest. If China lose to South Korea in Seoul in the last game of the second round of qualification then they could lose second place in Group C to Thailand, who host Singapore in Bangkok. Only the top two teams in each of the nine groups progress to the third stage of Asian qualification for... https://www.scmp.com/sport/football/article/3266053/chinas-hopes-line-against-south-korea-only-5-spots-left-world-cup-asian-zone?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/football/article/3266053/chinas-hopes-line-against-south-korea-only-5-spots-left-world-cup-asian-zone?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 10 Jun 2024 10:00:24 +0000 China on Thursday finally signed an agreement for a key railway linking it with Kyrgyzstan and Uzbekistan in Central Asia, a project hailed by President Xi Jinping as “a show of determination”. “The China-Kyrgyzstan-Uzbekistan Railway is a strategic project for China’s connectivity with Central Asia and a landmark project for [our] three countries to jointly build the Belt and Road Initiative,” said Xi in a message issued to mark the occasion. The deal’s resolution signalled that Beijing’s... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3265685/china-reaches-deal-central-asian-railway-project-linking-it-kyrgyzstan-uzbekistan?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3265685/china-reaches-deal-central-asian-railway-project-linking-it-kyrgyzstan-uzbekistan?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 06 Jun 2024 15:41:23 +0000 Just over an hour from central Beijing, hard-pedalling cyclists astride sleek, light, multiple-gear bikes rid themselves of suburban high-rises and glide into a pollution-free and lushly forested landscape. Another 80 minutes of wheel-spinning takes faster riders to the Great Wall itself, cruising smooth roads alongside the Ming dynasty structure that present challenging hills and gentle curves. It is the kind of two-wheel nirvana that has led to explosive growth in Beijing ultra-cycling over... https://www.scmp.com/magazines/post-magazine/long-reads/article/3264806/beijing-ultra-cycling-boom-riders-enjoy-day-night-adventures-most-beautiful-roads-cycling?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/magazines/post-magazine/long-reads/article/3264806/beijing-ultra-cycling-boom-riders-enjoy-day-night-adventures-most-beautiful-roads-cycling?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 01 Jun 2024 03:15:09 +0000 Controversial weightlifting boss Dr Josephine Ip Wing-yuk, who had twice referred to Hong Kong as a country, has quit as president of the governing body in the city. In a statement released on Friday, the Sports Federation & Olympic Committee of Hong Kong, China (SF&OC), said Ip had resigned “with immediate effect” as chairwoman of the Hong Kong, China Weightlifting and Powerlifting Association (HKWPA). The association, meanwhile, said Ip, who was criticised by government officials for her... https://www.scmp.com/sport/hong-kong/article/3263881/controversial-weightlifting-boss-ip-who-implied-hong-kong-and-taiwan-are-countries-resigns-immediate?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/hong-kong/article/3263881/controversial-weightlifting-boss-ip-who-implied-hong-kong-and-taiwan-are-countries-resigns-immediate?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 24 May 2024 02:34:59 +0000