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Kyrgyzstan

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

Capital

Bishkek

Head of State

President Sadyr Japarov

Head of Government

Chairman of the Cabinet of Ministers Akylbek Japarov

Alatau in Kazakhstan is among the new future city projects in Central Asia that aim to tackle population growth and ageing infrastructure. Photo: Handout

China-Russia relations

As Central Asia builds ‘smart cities’ with China, is it moving away from Russia?

Lack of Russian involvement in the mega-projects is seen as part of a broader structural shift as the region moves ‘closer to the world’.

11 Feb 2026 - 8:00PMvideocam

Infrastructure

China plans 19% high-speed rail expansion by 2030 amid global dominance

5 Jan 2026 - 5:32PMvideocam

Japan

Steppe in the right direction? ‘Japan is back’ in Central Asia with new summit

18 Dec 2025 - 5:41PMvideocam

US-China relations

Opinion | As US and China turn their eyes to Central Asia, Russia loses out

The region that has traditionally been in Russia’s geopolitical orbit is turning into a new arena of competition between the US and China.

18 Nov 2025 - 5:30AMvideocam

Donald Trump

Trump hosts Central Asian leaders as US eyes sources for critical minerals

The C5+1 summit marks Washington’s effort to expand influence in a resource-rich region long dominated by Russia and increasingly courted by China.

7 Nov 2025 - 1:44PMvideocam

Diplomacy

Opinion | Focusing on pageantry, the West misses the point of China’s diplomacy

The West must realise the real contest is not about pageantry but which power can create space for others to feel secure, dignified, heard.

19 Sep 2025 - 9:30AMvideocam

Central Asia

Opinion | In race for Central Asia’s rare earths, China is leaving US in the dust

Washington’s overtures to the region may only go so far – geographical proximity and capacity for critical mineral processing are advantages the US does not enjoy.

14 Sep 2025 - 4:30PMvideocam

Chinese President Xi Jinping meets Uzbek President Shavkat Mirziyoyev and his delegation at the Great Hall of the People on September 2 in Beijing. Photo: Pool via Reuters

SCO

Xi’s diplomatic blitz casts new light on China’s foreign policy

Chinese president’s meetings this week with several key leaders highlight Beijing’s shifting overseas priorities.

4 Sep 2025 - 5:23PMvideocam

SCO

Foreign leaders ride the rapid rails of China’s tech prowess after SCO summit

Blazing from Tianjin to Beijing on China’s signature high-speed railway, several state leaders are given a glimpse of rapid and lucrative modernisation efforts.

5 Sep 2025 - 11:35AMvideocam

SCO

SCO summit 2025: showcase of how far bloc has come in nearly a quarter century

Starting with six, group now unites 26 nations across Asia, Europe and Africa on not just security challenges but trade, diplomacy and more.

2 Sep 2025 - 3:40PMvideocam

The Shanghai Cooperation Organisation has evolved from a small consultative group focused on regional border security, the “Shanghai Five”, into a comprehensive Eurasian organisation. Photo: EPA-EFE

Diplomacy

SCO has a 10-year plan for a multipolar world, China’s Wang Yi says

SCO Development Strategy until 2035 has ‘set the tone and a clear direction’ for the decade to come, top Chinese diplomat tells reporters.

2 Sep 2025 - 2:33AMvideocam

Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi talks to media after the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation leaders’ summit in Tianjin, China, on Monday. Photo: AP

SCO

As US sanctions take toll, Xi Jinping presses SCO to target ‘bullying’

The bloc needs to underpin economic and security cooperation among members, Chinese president says.

2 Sep 2025 - 9:48AMvideocam

SCO

Opinion | Beijing expands its influence in Eurasia as Trump triggers geopolitical shifts

While US policies are pushing China, Russia and India closer to each other, Eurasia is still marked by differences and contradictions.

26 Aug 2025 - 6:30AM

Belt and Road Initiative

China to speed up bullet-train connectivity with neighbours

High-speed railways will be a cornerstone of China’s Belt and Road, creating key transport arteries to set international railway standards.

8 Jul 2025 - 8:08PM

China’s completed overseas rail projects include the China-Laos railway (pictured). Photo: Xinhua

Climate change

Asia is heating up at double the global rate amid climate crisis, UN warns

Asia’s vast land mass is intensifying extreme heatwaves as its sea surface warms at twice the global average, a new UN report reveals.

24 Jun 2025 - 3:45PMvideocam

A man in Jammu, India, bathes from a roadside water tap on June 15 to cool himself off on a hot summer day. Photo: AP

Central Asia

Opinion | Why China’s Central Asian footprint is about to get bigger

Boosted by proximity and broad policy objectives, Beijing is slowly gaining the upper hand in the region over Moscow and the European Union.

22 Jun 2025 - 4:30PMvideocam

Central Asia

Editorial | Central Asia friendship pact bolsters stability

President Xi Jinping stresses need for cooperation at summit between China and five states amid economic and geopolitical tensions.

21 Jun 2025 - 6:30AM

Central Asia

China’s influence is growing in Central Asia. What does that mean for Russia?

Beijing focuses on development as it avoids challenging Moscow as Central Asia’s dominant power and security guarantor, analysts say.

20 Jun 2025 - 10:00AMvideocam

Chinese President Xi Jinping delivers a keynote speech during the second China-Central Asia Summit in Astana, Kazakhstan on Tuesday. Photo: Xinhua

US-China trade war

China’s payment system spreads across Africa and Asia amid US trade war

China has signed up entities from Africa, Central Asia and the Gulf to its cross-border payment system, as it hedges against potential US sanctions.

20 Jun 2025 - 8:50PMvideocam

Central Asia

China and Central Asian leaders cap summit with friendship pact and aid pledge

Beijing commits more than a billion yuan to a region at the heart of its infrastructure and security interests.

17 Jun 2025 - 10:04PMvideocam

Diplomacy

Xi boosts China ties in resource-rich Central Asia

A summit with five leaders from Central Asia offers President Xi Jinping the chance to snap up more raw materials for China’s economy in a region once viewed as Russia’s backyard.

17 Jun 2025 - 5:52PM

Central Asia

Xi Jinping heads to energy-rich Kazakhstan for China-Central Asia summit

Xi is looking to foster solidarity with his counterparts against unilateralism and protectionism.

17 Jun 2025 - 7:00PMvideocam

Central Asia

Xi to meet Central Asian leaders as both sides seek ‘stronger coordination’

Summit in Kazakhstan expected to focus on transport, energy, security governance, digital economy and green transition, analysts say.

15 Jun 2025 - 10:00PMvideocam

China-Russia relations

Opinion | How China became central to Russia’s Victory Day parade

Russia may have hoped to send the message that it is not isolated but the event’s list of expected attendees is not entirely convincing.

6 May 2025 - 8:30PM

Asia travel

Paris, mountain truck stop in Central Asia with its own Eiffel Tower

A makeshift village in Kyrgyzstan offers food and warmth to truckers plying a dangerous north-south mountain road. But for how much longer?

5 Feb 2025 - 8:12AM

Men repair a truck next to a replica of the Eiffel Tower in the village unofficially called Paris, in Kyrgyzstan, Central Asia. Photo: AFP

Belt and Road Initiative

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

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

6 Dec 2024 - 8:00PMvideocam

The 100,000th China-Europe freight train arrives in Duisberg, Germany in early December. The new railway will offer an alternative to the current route, which runs through Russia. Photo: Xinhua

Science

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

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

9 Oct 2024 - 11:07AMvideocam

Hong Kong healthcare and hospitals

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

Retired Malaysian executive Toh Hong-keng, 70, is picking up his medical degree from Southwestern University in Cebu.

22 Jul 2024 - 3:42PMvideocam

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Kyrgyzstan

As Central Asia builds ‘smart cities’ with China, is it moving away from Russia?

Lack of Russian involvement in the mega-projects is seen as part of a broader structural shift as the region moves ‘closer to the world’.

China plans 19% high-speed rail expansion by 2030 amid global dominance

Steppe in the right direction? ‘Japan is back’ in Central Asia with new summit

.css-1m2rp1p{color:#34b8b5;}Opinion | As US and China turn their eyes to Central Asia, Russia loses out

The region that has traditionally been in Russia’s geopolitical orbit is turning into a new arena of competition between the US and China.

Trump hosts Central Asian leaders as US eyes sources for critical minerals

The C5+1 summit marks Washington’s effort to expand influence in a resource-rich region long dominated by Russia and increasingly courted by China.

Opinion | Focusing on pageantry, the West misses the point of China’s diplomacy

The West must realise the real contest is not about pageantry but which power can create space for others to feel secure, dignified, heard.

Opinion | In race for Central Asia’s rare earths, China is leaving US in the dust

Washington’s overtures to the region may only go so far – geographical proximity and capacity for critical mineral processing are advantages the US does not enjoy.

Xi’s diplomatic blitz casts new light on China’s foreign policy

Chinese president’s meetings this week with several key leaders highlight Beijing’s shifting overseas priorities.

Foreign leaders ride the rapid rails of China’s tech prowess after SCO summit

Blazing from Tianjin to Beijing on China’s signature high-speed railway, several state leaders are given a glimpse of rapid and lucrative modernisation efforts.

SCO summit 2025: showcase of how far bloc has come in nearly a quarter century

Starting with six, group now unites 26 nations across Asia, Europe and Africa on not just security challenges but trade, diplomacy and more.

SCO has a 10-year plan for a multipolar world, China’s Wang Yi says

SCO Development Strategy until 2035 has ‘set the tone and a clear direction’ for the decade to come, top Chinese diplomat tells reporters.

As US sanctions take toll, Xi Jinping presses SCO to target ‘bullying’

The bloc needs to underpin economic and security cooperation among members, Chinese president says.

Opinion | Beijing expands its influence in Eurasia as Trump triggers geopolitical shifts

While US policies are pushing China, Russia and India closer to each other, Eurasia is still marked by differences and contradictions.

China to speed up bullet-train connectivity with neighbours

High-speed railways will be a cornerstone of China’s Belt and Road, creating key transport arteries to set international railway standards.

Asia is heating up at double the global rate amid climate crisis, UN warns

Asia’s vast land mass is intensifying extreme heatwaves as its sea surface warms at twice the global average, a new UN report reveals.

Opinion | Why China’s Central Asian footprint is about to get bigger

Boosted by proximity and broad policy objectives, Beijing is slowly gaining the upper hand in the region over Moscow and the European Union.

Editorial | Central Asia friendship pact bolsters stability

President Xi Jinping stresses need for cooperation at summit between China and five states amid economic and geopolitical tensions.

China’s influence is growing in Central Asia. What does that mean for Russia?

Beijing focuses on development as it avoids challenging Moscow as Central Asia’s dominant power and security guarantor, analysts say.

China’s payment system spreads across Africa and Asia amid US trade war

China has signed up entities from Africa, Central Asia and the Gulf to its cross-border payment system, as it hedges against potential US sanctions.

China and Central Asian leaders cap summit with friendship pact and aid pledge

Beijing commits more than a billion yuan to a region at the heart of its infrastructure and security interests.

Xi boosts China ties in resource-rich Central Asia

A summit with five leaders from Central Asia offers President Xi Jinping the chance to snap up more raw materials for China’s economy in a region once viewed as Russia’s backyard.

Xi Jinping heads to energy-rich Kazakhstan for China-Central Asia summit

Xi is looking to foster solidarity with his counterparts against unilateralism and protectionism.

Xi to meet Central Asian leaders as both sides seek ‘stronger coordination’

Summit in Kazakhstan expected to focus on transport, energy, security governance, digital economy and green transition, analysts say.

Opinion | How China became central to Russia’s Victory Day parade

Russia may have hoped to send the message that it is not isolated but the event’s list of expected attendees is not entirely convincing.

Paris, mountain truck stop in Central Asia with its own Eiffel Tower

A makeshift village in Kyrgyzstan offers food and warmth to truckers plying a dangerous north-south mountain road. But for how much longer?

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

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

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

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

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

Retired Malaysian executive Toh Hong-keng, 70, is picking up his medical degree from Southwestern University in Cebu.

Opinion | As US and China turn their eyes to Central Asia, Russia loses out