TOPIC

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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

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.

14 Aug 2026 - 3:40PM

SCO

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

11 Aug 2026 - 10:29AMvideocam

Hong Kong economy

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

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

A China-Europe freight train leaves Xian, Shaanxi province, in November. Photo: Xinhua

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

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

Smoke rises from the grain carrier Golden Leo under the Guinea-Bissau flag after Russian missile strikes in the the Black Sea close to Odesa, Ukraine on Sunday. Photo: AP

Commodities

China’s resources deals turn gold mines into – gold mines

Chinese gold producers, after a buying spree for mines abroad, are cashing in as the metal’s price goes sky-high.

18 Jul 2026 - 4:21AMvideocam

Gold prices remain highly elevated despite a recent sell-off, boosting the earnings of Chinese gold mining firms. Photo: AFP

Artificial intelligence

Xi Jinping warns against creating ‘new historical injustices’ in AI era

Chinese leader’s presence at World AI Conference signals Beijing’s push to elevate AI from tech priority to pillar of geopolitical strategy.

17 Jul 2026 - 4:16PMvideocam

China travel

China and Kazakhstan agree to add 28 round-trip flights a week

Officials meeting in Beijing also expanded list of approved Chinese cities to 11, including Chongqing.

17 Jul 2026 - 2:53PM

Hong Kong economy

Mainland Chinese firms on Hong Kong-led Central Asia trip ‘eye city listing’

Hong Kong’s leader says city will press on as ‘superconnector’, ‘super value-adder’ to help them expand overseas amid geopolitical disruptions.

14 Jul 2026 - 7:35PM

Hong Kong’s leader John Lee (centre, pointing) views a scale model at Nazarbayev University in Astana, Kazakhstan, in early June. Photo: Handout

Banking & finance

Hong Kong exchange lures listings from Canada, Indonesia, Kazakhstan

Bourse expected to see influx of international issuers in year’s second half, led by consumer goods and services companies, according to PwC.

10 Jul 2026 - 10:30AM

Hong Kong economy

Editorial | In the age of AI, Hong Kong’s strategy as a ‘superconnector’ is progressing

At SCMP’s China Conference, Chief Executive John Lee and panellists made clear the city’s potential as an innovation centre, building on its traditional strengths.

8 Jul 2026 - 7:15AM

Hong Kong economy

SCMP’s China Conference to debut in Astana this September

Esteemed China Conference series in Kazakh capital will highlight opportunities in fast-growing Central Asia.

8 Jul 2026 - 3:55PM

SCMP publisher Tammy Tam says the event in Astana will enable participants to explore new opportunities. Photo: Jonathan Wong

Japan

Japan pledges US$3 million for Kazakhstan’s Caspian Sea water decline

Under the initiative for the world’s largest inland water body, Japan hopes to promote cooperation among littoral states on water resource management.

4 Jul 2026 - 10:10PM

Central Asia

Opinion | In today’s ‘great game’, Central Asian nations are no longer prizes to be won

Instead of being caught between great powers, the five Central Asian nations are using hegemonic rivalries to advance their own interests.

2 Jul 2026 - 6:38AM

China trade

China opens new Central Asia rail link to strengthen supply chain resilience

Beijing’s push to develop a transcontinental rail network has reduced exposure to naval chokepoints, analyst says.

29 Jun 2026 - 10:05PM

China trade

China cuts through Russia, Mideast instability with alternate cargo route

Middle Corridor through Kazakhstan and across Caspian Sea would have transit time of 15 to 18 days, compared with 45 to 60 for ocean routes.

29 Jun 2026 - 3:40PM

A photo taken on February 2 shows the first cross-Caspian Sea China-Europe freight train departing from the Nanchang International Land Port in Nanchang, in east China’s Jiangxi Province. Photo: Xinhua

China-India relations

Exclusive | US assures India over AI ‘kill switch’ as ‘Pax Silica’ expands to counter China

New Delhi says Washington pledged AI access would continue after Anthropic restrictions as the US-led initiative adds new members.

26 Jun 2026 - 4:20AMvideocam

The Pax Silica summit in Washington brought together countries seeking to strengthen AI supply chains. Photo: Handout

Belt and Road Initiative

China, Kazakhstan target deeper ties in minerals and energy at ‘Summer Davos’

At the high-profile forum, Beijing expressed its willingness to work with Astana on deepening cooperation in energy and mineral resources.

25 Jun 2026 - 4:39PMvideocam

US, Israel war on Iran

China urged to boost navy escorts and find other routes to secure energy supply

Closure of Strait of Hormuz has exposed fragility of maritime chokepoints and more should be done to protect shipments, analysts say.

18 Jun 2026 - 2:00PM

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Kazakhstan

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.

.css-1pcrwvc{color:#2aa191;}Opinion | The SCO is caught between regional weight and global ambitions

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

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.

.css-1f6sr3w{color:#727272;}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’.

China’s resources deals turn gold mines into – gold mines

Chinese gold producers, after a buying spree for mines abroad, are cashing in as the metal’s price goes sky-high.

Xi Jinping warns against creating ‘new historical injustices’ in AI era

Chinese leader’s presence at World AI Conference signals Beijing’s push to elevate AI from tech priority to pillar of geopolitical strategy.

China and Kazakhstan agree to add 28 round-trip flights a week

Officials meeting in Beijing also expanded list of approved Chinese cities to 11, including Chongqing.

Mainland Chinese firms on Hong Kong-led Central Asia trip ‘eye city listing’

Hong Kong’s leader says city will press on as ‘superconnector’, ‘super value-adder’ to help them expand overseas amid geopolitical disruptions.

Hong Kong exchange lures listings from Canada, Indonesia, Kazakhstan

Bourse expected to see influx of international issuers in year’s second half, led by consumer goods and services companies, according to PwC.

Editorial | In the age of AI, Hong Kong’s strategy as a ‘superconnector’ is progressing

At SCMP’s China Conference, Chief Executive John Lee and panellists made clear the city’s potential as an innovation centre, building on its traditional strengths.

SCMP’s China Conference to debut in Astana this September

Esteemed China Conference series in Kazakh capital will highlight opportunities in fast-growing Central Asia.

Japan pledges US$3 million for Kazakhstan’s Caspian Sea water decline

Under the initiative for the world’s largest inland water body, Japan hopes to promote cooperation among littoral states on water resource management.

Opinion | In today’s ‘great game’, Central Asian nations are no longer prizes to be won

Instead of being caught between great powers, the five Central Asian nations are using hegemonic rivalries to advance their own interests.

China opens new Central Asia rail link to strengthen supply chain resilience

Beijing’s push to develop a transcontinental rail network has reduced exposure to naval chokepoints, analyst says.

China cuts through Russia, Mideast instability with alternate cargo route

Middle Corridor through Kazakhstan and across Caspian Sea would have transit time of 15 to 18 days, compared with 45 to 60 for ocean routes.

Exclusive | US assures India over AI ‘kill switch’ as ‘Pax Silica’ expands to counter China

New Delhi says Washington pledged AI access would continue after Anthropic restrictions as the US-led initiative adds new members.

China, Kazakhstan target deeper ties in minerals and energy at ‘Summer Davos’

At the high-profile forum, Beijing expressed its willingness to work with Astana on deepening cooperation in energy and mineral resources.

China urged to boost navy escorts and find other routes to secure energy supply

Closure of Strait of Hormuz has exposed fragility of maritime chokepoints and more should be done to protect shipments, analysts say.

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

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