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Kazakhstan

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

Capital

Astana

Head of State

President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev

Head of Government

Prime Minister Olzhas Bektenov

last updated:

6 January, 2025

Coleman Wong beat Kazakhstan’s Dmitry Popko in a match lasting two hours and eight minutes. Photo: Jonathan Wong

ATP

Hong Kong Coleman Wong takes step closer to Australian Open main draw after plucky win

The 20-year-old edges past Dmitry Popko but has 2 more qualifying rounds to get through to become first Hongkonger to play at Melbourne Park.

7 Jan 2025 - 6:46PM

Global South

Opinion | As West cuts global aid, emerging powers must step up and contribute

5 Jan 2025 - 5:30AM

Aviation accidents

Azerbaijan’ president demands Russia admits to shooting at plane before crash

30 Dec 2024 - 2:45AMvideocam

Aviation accidents

‘I thought the plane was going to fall apart’: survivors recall Azeri jet crash

‘He (the captain) warned that there would be a hard landing and asked us to be ready and prepare the passengers,’ a flight attendant said.

28 Dec 2024 - 9:20AMvideocam

Azerbaijan

Azerbaijan, US officials: plane that crashed may have been hit by weapons fire

Assessments echoed those made by outside aviation experts who blamed Wednesday’s crash on Russia.

28 Dec 2024 - 7:41AMvideocam

Central Asia

Azerbaijan plane crashed ‘due to physical and technical external interference’

Four sources with knowledge of the preliminary findings of the investigation had said Russian air defences had mistakenly shot it down.

27 Dec 2024 - 9:19PMvideocam

Azerbaijan

Azerbaijan Airlines hails ‘heroism’ of dead pilots for saving 29 lives in crash

The carrier’s president said the crew’s ‘prioritisation of human life have immortalised their names in history’.

27 Dec 2024 - 1:17PMvideocam

Emergency specialists work at the crash site of an Azerbaijan Airlines jet near the Kazakh city of Aktau on December 25. Photo: AFP/Getty Images/TNS

Russian missile may have downed Azerbaijani plane

One Azerbaijani source said Baku expects Russia ‘to confess’ to shooting down the plane

27 Dec 2024 - 1:01PM

Central Asia

Azerbaijan believes missile downed plane, Russia warns against ‘hypotheses’

38 people died in Wednesday’s crash in Kazakhstan. Azerbaijani source said Baku expects Russia ‘to confess’ to shooting down the plane.

27 Dec 2024 - 1:04PMvideocam

Aviation accidents

Azerbaijani plane crashes in Kazakhstan, killing 38 and injuring 29

The aircraft, which was carrying 67 people, was diverted from an area of Russia that Moscow recently defended against Ukrainian drones.

26 Dec 2024 - 1:26PMvideocam

A drone view shows the crash site of an Azerbaijan Airlines passenger plane near the city of Aktau, Kazakhstan. Photo: Reuters

Belt and Road Initiative

Opinion | Hong Kong and Xinjiang could be the core of Kazakhstan’s China strategy

As the centre of global economic activity shifts from West to East, strengthening ties with China will remain one of Kazakhstan’s top priorities.

16 Dec 2024 - 10:53AM

Almas Seitakynov, consul general of Kazakhstan in Hong Kong, poses with his country’s flag, in Central on October 4. Photo: Edmond So

Belt and Road Initiative

Opinion | Why China’s outreach to Central Asia will only grow

Amid increasing investments and a greater emphasis on security, China’s presence in Central Asia differs from its outreach to other regions.

11 Dec 2024 - 5:44PMvideocam

Belt and Road Initiative

Xinjiang eyes closer ties with Pakistan and Central Asia to offset US sanctions

Far west region boosts role as belt and road gateway by opening Pakistan border for the winter and growing ties with Kazakhstan’s Zhetysu.

3 Dec 2024 - 10:05AMvideocam

Central Asia

China seeks to boost energy ties with Turkmenistan

Foreign Minister Wang Yi also said he would seek to boost investment in the country at a meeting with his Central Asian counterparts.

1 Dec 2024 - 7:58PM

Turkmenistan has significant gas reserves. Photo: AFP

China-EU relations

Opinion | China and the EU have a logistics problem. Central Asia stands to benefit

Given the wars in the Middle East and Ukraine, a safer trade route might be the one through Central Asia and the Caucasus.

23 Oct 2024 - 6:30PMvideocam

A view of Almaty in Kazakhstan in 2023. The Middle Corridor, a trade route connecting China and Europe via Kazakhstan, Azerbaijan, Georgia and Turkey, has become more important as China seeks to minimise risks from instability in the Middle East and 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

Central Asia

Kazakhstan votes on whether to build first nuclear plant

The country is looking to boost its power generation capacity with the construction of its first nuclear facility.

6 Oct 2024 - 3:24PM

Hong Kong economy

Exclusive | Kazakhstani envoy eyes stock market link-up with Hong Kong under belt and road plan

Almas Seitakynov, Kazakhstan’s top envoy in Hong Kong, says two economies should become ‘key hubs’ for trade linking Southern Europe and Asia.

6 Oct 2024 - 9:22PM

Consul General Almas Seitakynov has said he hopes to boost trade ties with Hong Kong. Photo: Edmond So

Energy

Opinion | Why Kazakhstan is pursuing its own nuclear power programme

The nation has good reason to consider nuclear energy, in service of both its own interests and adding to global climate change efforts.

27 Sep 2024 - 4:30PMvideocam

Bonds

Kazakh giant eyes Hong Kong’s dim sum bonds to fund cable project

The company’s telecoms unit Freedom Telecom plans to spend 107 billion tenge (US$236 million) until the end of 2027 on two projects in Kazakhstan.

12 Sep 2024 - 4:15PM

Interest rates

July’s inflation blip will do little to derail US Fed’s September rate cut

The recent easing of price pressures has bolstered Fed officials’ confidence that they can start to lower borrowing costs while refocusing their attention on the labour market.

11 Aug 2024 - 11:46AM

A supermarket in Montebello, California, on May 15, 2024. Photo: AFP

Belt and Road Initiative

Opinion | How emerging nations are already dethroning the West

The Belt and Road Initiative is picking up momentum amid increasing synergy with countries in the expanding Brics grouping.

27 Jul 2024 - 4:30PM

A person stands near the flags of South Africa, Brazil, Russia, India and China during the Brics summit in Johannesburg, on August 24, 2023, before the grouping’s expansion. Photo: AFP

Diplomacy

Opinion | Western concerns about SCO must be allayed. Kazakhstan can help

Kazakhstan and its role in the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation contribute to efforts to find common ground, promoting cooperation that fosters global stability.

17 Jul 2024 - 4:01PMvideocam

Diplomacy

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

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

9 Jul 2024 - 8:30PM

Asia travel

Spa, seaside … secret missile test range. Welcome to Priozersk

Kazakhstan’s former secret city of Priozersk is attempting to transform into a seaside resort, with its beautiful Lake Balkhash and Golden Sands spa contrasting with reminders of its Cold War heyday.

9 Jul 2024 - 11:15AM

People enjoy the beach of The Golden Sands hotel and spa in Priozersk, Kazakhstan, on June 17, 2024. Photo: AFP

Central Asia

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

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

6 Jul 2024 - 9:00PMvideocam

Chinese President Xi Jinping is welcomed to Dushanbe by Tajik President Emomali Rahmon on Friday. Photo: Xinhua

China trade

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

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

5 Jul 2024 - 9:30PM

Narendra Modi

Editorial | Lost opportunity for Modi and China ties

By missing summit of Shanghai Cooperation Organisation, Indian PM has wasted chance to address strained relations between two countries.

5 Jul 2024 - 2:41AM

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