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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

Visitors take pictures with 2-metre-tall promoters at Kazakhstan booth at Hong Kong’s International Travel Expo on June 11. The Belt and Road Office has concluded memorandums with key institutions in Central Asian countries like Kazakhstan, laying solid groundwork for collaboration. Photo: Nora Tam

Belt and Road Initiative

Opinion | 3 key belt and road connectivities that Hong Kong drives

Hong Kong’s Belt and Road Office is focusing on strengthening links related to infrastructure, rules and standards, and people-to-people connections.

3 Sep 2026 - 5:30AM

SCO

SCO takes landmark stand on nuclear security as Iran comes under renewed attack

3 Sep 2026 - 10:09AMvideocam

Singapore

Can Singapore be the ‘natural choice’ to bridge Asean and Central Asia?

3 Sep 2026 - 2:36AM

Central Asia

In Bishkek, US envoys shadow SCO summit in challenge on Beijing and Moscow’s turf

Central Asian countries in focus as Washington pursues outreach serving to blunt Chinese influence in strategically valuable region.

2 Sep 2026 - 9:00PMvideocam

Sergio Gor, the US special envoy for South and Central Asia (left), and Kyrgyz President Sadyr Zhaparov shake hands for their meeting in Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan, on Monday. Photo: Kyrgyzstan Presidential Press Office via AP

SCO

Xi, Putin vow to deepen strategic ties after meeting at SCO summit

Xi said relevant departments from both sides are implementing initiatives he and Putin discussed during Putin’s state visit to China in May.

1 Sep 2026 - 1:50AMvideocam

China-Russia relations

In Focus | Is the Irtysh River the choke-free Arctic shipping gateway that China needs?

A proposed Irtysh route could link China to the Arctic, but political and natural barriers would have to be overcome.

1 Sep 2026 - 12:56PM

Diplomacy

Opinion | US-China AI rivalry needn’t preclude cooperation

Forcing countries to choose between the US’ and China’s initiatives would be counterproductive to global AI governance.

29 Aug 2026 - 5:30AMvideocam

The first session of the Global Dialogue on AI Governance in Geneva, Switzerland, on July 6. Photo: Xinhua

US-China relations

Uzbekistan tests US-China AI rift with bid to join rival tech bloc

Tashkent eyes Pax Silica entry as Central Asian nations resist growing pressure to choose between Washington and Beijing in the AI race.

30 Aug 2026 - 4:39AMvideocam

Yuan

How a China gold vault network could promote the yuan’s international reach

By anchoring yuan trades to gold through Hong Kong and new global vaults, Beijing will add convertibility to its currency, report says.

25 Aug 2026 - 2:50PMvideocam

Israel-Gaza war

East African troops prepare for Gaza peacekeeping role in US-backed plan

Delegations from Burundi and Uganda visited Israel to discuss joining Donald Trump’s International Stabilisation Force.

24 Aug 2026 - 2:22PM

Military vehicles at a logistical support and staging facility to support the International Stabilisation Force under the direction of Trump's "Board of Peace", near the Israel-Gaza border in southern Israel, in August. Photo: Reuters

Central Asia

Kazakhstan election: party linked to president wins landslide

The Adilet party secured a sweeping victory with over 71 per cent of votes as Tokayev says he has the legal right to seek re-election.

24 Aug 2026 - 2:55PM

Kazakhstan’s President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev casts his ballot at a polling station in Astana, Kazakhstan, on Sunday. Photo: Kazakhstan’s President Press Office/AP

China technology

Opinion | Asia is reaching for the open road that Chinese AI offers

Countries seeking sovereign AI want to control their own AI capabilities rather than rent them from a foreign platform.

23 Aug 2026 - 4:30PMvideocam

US-China tech war

SpaceSail’s record funding fuels China’s satellite challenge to Musk’s Starlink

Company pairs landmark capital with rapid satellite deployment and overseas expansion as China’s private aerospace sector breaks new ground.

20 Aug 2026 - 2:00PM

Cathay Pacific

Cathay Pacific to launch direct flights between Hong Kong and Almaty in January

Airline will operate the only non-stop service between Hong Kong and Kazakhstan’s largest city three times a week, with economy fares from HK$2,296.

20 Aug 2026 - 11:23PM

Cathay Pacific will launch three weekly direct flights between Hong Kong and Almaty in Kazakhstan in January. Photo: Getty Images

China trade

China’s Central Asia push

China has become Central Asia’s top trading partner, with two-way trade surpassing US$100 billion last year on the back of increased oil and gas imports.

17 Aug 2026 - 9:44AM

SCO

Opinion | The SCO is caught between regional weight and global ambitions

As the SCO marks its 25th anniversary, internal rifts as well as limited financial integration and security cooperation are holding it back.

11 Aug 2026 - 10:29AMvideocam

Hong Kong economy

Hong Kong, Malaysia set for ‘deeper ties in semiconductor making, other sectors’

Trade Development Council chairman Frederick Ma makes comment as he joins Hong Kong’s biggest delegation to Malaysia to date for conference.

11 Aug 2026 - 5:50AM

Hong Kong economy

Peter Lee’s family office signs Kazakhstan deal on green energy projects

Agreement covers sustainable aviation fuel, smart energy and storage projects, with Kazakh authorities to help identify sites, partners and regulatory approvals.

5 Aug 2026 - 8:08PM

Peter Lee (left) with Kazakh Prime Minister Olzhas Bektenov. Photo: Handout

US-China relations

Xi Jinping meets foreign leaders: tracker, July 2026

Chinese President Xi Jinping has met more than 20 world leaders this year, reflecting Beijing’s increasing global influence.

31 Jul 2026 - 3:47PM

Hong Kong economy

How Xinjiang offers Hong Kong a bridge to Central Asia — and what the risks are

Xinjiang’s transport links and proximity to Central Asia can help Hong Kong expand in region, but Western sanctions create hurdles, analysts say.

26 Jul 2026 - 2:58PM

Hong Kong economy

Exclusive | Family office of Henderson Land boss to fast-track Central Asia green energy plans

Managing partner of Peter Lee’s family office says firm is pressing ahead with investment projects such as sustainable aviation fuel.

25 Jul 2026 - 5:56PM

Central Asia

China tests Central Asian land corridors to bypass maritime chokepoints

New Afghanistan link via Uzbekistan highlights diversification push, but critics ask if Taliban can ensure security for stable logistics.

25 Jul 2026 - 7:14AMvideocam

Hong Kong economy

Hong Kong’s TDC to open Egypt office as it eyes African, Nordic markets

Trade Development Council has revamped corporate structure to better help firms in six new industry clusters, chairman Frederick Ma says.

24 Jul 2026 - 11:11PM

China trade

Beijing to upgrade railway freight services to Europe

Agreement to build first phase of a multifunctional terminal at Kuryk, a Kazakh port on the Caspian Sea, signed in Shanghai recently.

24 Jul 2026 - 6:00PM

Belt and Road Initiative

China Unicom connects Hong Kong-Cambodia cable, widening undersea data network

The submarine cable project ties city with a high-speed data and information corridor running through Southeast Asia.

23 Jul 2026 - 6:17PM

A new state-of-the-art submarine cable enabling faster internet for Cambodia has made a successful landing in Hong Kong earlier this week. Photo: Sina

Bonds

China vows to improve panda bond ratings to lure more foreign capital

Body overseeing interbank market, where most panda bonds are traded, sets August 1 deadline for rating agencies to comply.

22 Jul 2026 - 5:00PM

Chinese regulators are looking to improve the quality of credit ratings for yuan-denominated assets known as panda bonds. Photo: CFOTO/Future Publishing via Getty Images

China economy

Opinion | China is growing its export channels with railways through Central Asia

Beijing is seeking to diversify its export channels as geopolitical tensions destabilise maritime trade hubs.

22 Jul 2026 - 9:13AMvideocam

Ukraine war

Ukraine blames Russia for deadly strike on Turkish cargo ship

Ukraine’s navy said 6 died when Russia launched cruise missiles at the Golden Leo as it was ‘leaving the combat zone with a cargo of grain’.

20 Jul 2026 - 7:43AMvideocam

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Kazakhstan

.css-1pcrwvc{color:#2aa191;}Opinion | 3 key belt and road connectivities that Hong Kong drives

Hong Kong’s Belt and Road Office is focusing on strengthening links related to infrastructure, rules and standards, and people-to-people connections.

SCO takes landmark stand on nuclear security as Iran comes under renewed attack

Can Singapore be the ‘natural choice’ to bridge Asean and Central Asia?

In Bishkek, US envoys shadow SCO summit in challenge on Beijing and Moscow’s turf

Central Asian countries in focus as Washington pursues outreach serving to blunt Chinese influence in strategically valuable region.

Xi, Putin vow to deepen strategic ties after meeting at SCO summit

Xi said relevant departments from both sides are implementing initiatives he and Putin discussed during Putin’s state visit to China in May.

.css-1f6sr3w{color:#727272;}In Focus | Is the Irtysh River the choke-free Arctic shipping gateway that China needs?

A proposed Irtysh route could link China to the Arctic, but political and natural barriers would have to be overcome.

Opinion | US-China AI rivalry needn’t preclude cooperation

Forcing countries to choose between the US’ and China’s initiatives would be counterproductive to global AI governance.

Uzbekistan tests US-China AI rift with bid to join rival tech bloc

Tashkent eyes Pax Silica entry as Central Asian nations resist growing pressure to choose between Washington and Beijing in the AI race.

How a China gold vault network could promote the yuan’s international reach

By anchoring yuan trades to gold through Hong Kong and new global vaults, Beijing will add convertibility to its currency, report says.

East African troops prepare for Gaza peacekeeping role in US-backed plan

Delegations from Burundi and Uganda visited Israel to discuss joining Donald Trump’s International Stabilisation Force.

Kazakhstan election: party linked to president wins landslide

The Adilet party secured a sweeping victory with over 71 per cent of votes as Tokayev says he has the legal right to seek re-election.

Opinion | Asia is reaching for the open road that Chinese AI offers

Countries seeking sovereign AI want to control their own AI capabilities rather than rent them from a foreign platform.

SpaceSail’s record funding fuels China’s satellite challenge to Musk’s Starlink

Company pairs landmark capital with rapid satellite deployment and overseas expansion as China’s private aerospace sector breaks new ground.

Cathay Pacific to launch direct flights between Hong Kong and Almaty in January

Airline will operate the only non-stop service between Hong Kong and Kazakhstan’s largest city three times a week, with economy fares from HK$2,296.

China’s Central Asia push

China has become Central Asia’s top trading partner, with two-way trade surpassing US$100 billion last year on the back of increased oil and gas imports.

Opinion | The SCO is caught between regional weight and global ambitions

As the SCO marks its 25th anniversary, internal rifts as well as limited financial integration and security cooperation are holding it back.

Hong Kong, Malaysia set for ‘deeper ties in semiconductor making, other sectors’

Trade Development Council chairman Frederick Ma makes comment as he joins Hong Kong’s biggest delegation to Malaysia to date for conference.

Peter Lee’s family office signs Kazakhstan deal on green energy projects

Agreement covers sustainable aviation fuel, smart energy and storage projects, with Kazakh authorities to help identify sites, partners and regulatory approvals.

Xi Jinping meets foreign leaders: tracker, July 2026

Chinese President Xi Jinping has met more than 20 world leaders this year, reflecting Beijing’s increasing global influence.

How Xinjiang offers Hong Kong a bridge to Central Asia — and what the risks are

Xinjiang’s transport links and proximity to Central Asia can help Hong Kong expand in region, but Western sanctions create hurdles, analysts say.

Exclusive | Family office of Henderson Land boss to fast-track Central Asia green energy plans

Managing partner of Peter Lee’s family office says firm is pressing ahead with investment projects such as sustainable aviation fuel.

China tests Central Asian land corridors to bypass maritime chokepoints

New Afghanistan link via Uzbekistan highlights diversification push, but critics ask if Taliban can ensure security for stable logistics.

Hong Kong’s TDC to open Egypt office as it eyes African, Nordic markets

Trade Development Council has revamped corporate structure to better help firms in six new industry clusters, chairman Frederick Ma says.

Beijing to upgrade railway freight services to Europe

Agreement to build first phase of a multifunctional terminal at Kuryk, a Kazakh port on the Caspian Sea, signed in Shanghai recently.

China Unicom connects Hong Kong-Cambodia cable, widening undersea data network

The submarine cable project ties city with a high-speed data and information corridor running through Southeast Asia.

China vows to improve panda bond ratings to lure more foreign capital

Body overseeing interbank market, where most panda bonds are traded, sets August 1 deadline for rating agencies to comply.

Opinion | China is growing its export channels with railways through Central Asia

Beijing is seeking to diversify its export channels as geopolitical tensions destabilise maritime trade hubs.

Ukraine blames Russia for deadly strike on Turkish cargo ship

Ukraine’s navy said 6 died when Russia launched cruise missiles at the Golden Leo as it was ‘leaving the combat zone with a cargo of grain’.

Opinion | 3 key belt and road connectivities that Hong Kong drives

In Focus | Is the Irtysh River the choke-free Arctic shipping gateway that China needs?