TOPIC

/ location

Uzbekistan

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

Capital

Tashkent

Head of State

President Shavkat Mirziyoyev

Head of Government

Prime Minister Abdulla Aripov

Aziz Abu Sarah is a co-founder of Mejdi Tours, a tour operator intended to bridge the divide between two populations at odds with each other - such as Uzbeks and Russians, and Israelis and Palestinians. Photo: Instagram/mejdi_tours

Tourism

A Balkans tour led by a Serbian and a Bosnian? The rise of peace tourism

Mejdi Tours takes groups to places like Uzbekistan and Israel led by pairs of locals with opposing religious, political or ethnic views.

14 Feb 2025 - 7:41AM

Belt and Road Initiative

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

11 Dec 2024 - 5:44PMvideocam

Belt and Road Initiative

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

6 Dec 2024 - 8:00PMvideocam

Central Asia

Germany’s Scholz seals migration deal with Uzbekistan on Central Asia visit

Scholz will also attend summit in Kazakhstan with region’s five former Soviet republics, which are all heavily influenced by China and Russia.

16 Sep 2024 - 1:15PM

Uzbekistan’s President Shavkat Mirziyoyev, right, and German Chancellor Olaf Scholz inside the Tilya-Kori Madrasah as they visit the Registan in Samarkand, Uzbekistan on Sunday. Photo: Uzbekistan’s Presidential Press Office via AP

Tourism

Why you can’t go to this country without trying its bread

‘Bread is life itself’ for people in Uzbekistan, where every village and town has its own varieties – differing in ingredients, weight, loaf size and embossed patterns – and a visit to a bakery is a must.

18 Aug 2024 - 6:15PM

Central Asia

Uzbek PM visits Afghanistan, highest-level visit since Taliban takeover

Uzbek Prime Minister Abdulla Aripov arrived in Afghanistan on Saturday to discuss bilateral relations and strengthen trade.

17 Aug 2024 - 11:08PM

Vladimir Putin

Russia’s Putin is meeting a lot of world leaders for a global outcast

Cast as an international pariah over Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, Putin has made six foreign visits, even as his scope for travel has been limited since the ICJ issued an arrest warrant against him.

10 Jul 2024 - 5:57PM

Chinese President Xi Jinping meets with Russian President Vladimir Putin ahead of the 24th Meeting of the Council of Heads of State of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization in Astana, Kazakhstan, on July 3. Photo: Xinhua

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

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

China-Russia relations

Can China and Russia overlook Central Asia rivalry for SCO goal to counter West?

Both nations want Shanghai Cooperation Organisation to counter Western hegemony, but rivalry over influence in Russia’s ‘backyard’ might be a concern.

6 Jul 2024 - 8:38PMvideocam

Chinese President Xi Jinping and Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin meet on the sidelines of the SCO leaders’ summit in Astana, Kazakhstan, on Wednesday. Photo: TNS

Belt and Road Initiative

Chinese highway crews cut ‘super-long’ tunnel through Xinjiang glacial area

Huge boring machine to cut passage for north-south link providing vital connection to Central Asia.

6 Jul 2024 - 6:29PM

The boring machine “Wensu” will be used to complete the West Tianshan Super-long Tunnel section of the G219 highway, part of a major transport route linking China to Central Asia as well as Russia and Pakistan. Photo: QQ.com

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

India

Modi’s Russia trip a sign of India’s unresolved tensions with China: analysts

Modi’s visit underscores importance of Russia ties and reluctance to engage China with border issues still outstanding, observers note.

5 Jul 2024 - 11:11AMvideocam

India

India’s Modi to visit Russia on Monday in his first visit since Ukraine war

Russia’s President Vladimir Putin sees Modi as a key potential diplomatic and economy ally, with Russia isolated in the West.

4 Jul 2024 - 7:38PMvideocam

Russian President Vladimir Putin (right) and Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi at the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) summit in Samarkand, Uzbekistan in 2022. Photo: AP

Central Asia

Xi Jinping holds talks with Vladimir Putin on SCO sidelines in Kazakhstan

In meeting with Kazakh President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev, Xi backs Astana’s membership in Brics bloc.

4 Jul 2024 - 3:16PMvideocam

Xi Jinping

China’s Xi hails ‘unique’ ties upon arrival in Kazakhstan for state visit

Chinese President Xi Jinping is in Astana for state visit and annual SCO summit alongside Russia’s Vladimir Putin, before heading to Tajikistan.

2 Jul 2024 - 9:43PMvideocam

Singapore

Singapore an ‘outlier’ for racial harmony, but is its approach sustainable?

Experts say giving up some civil liberties such as freedom of expression is an increasingly harder price to pay for young Singaporeans.

1 Jul 2024 - 9:45PMvideocam

China-Russia relations

Xi and Putin are pivoting to the Global South. It may not go to plan

China and Russia want stronger ties with developing nations as they try to counter the Western-led world order.

1 Jul 2024 - 11:37AMvideocam

Presidents Xi Jinping and Vladimir Putin arrive to mark the 75th anniversary of China-Russia relations, in Beijing on May 16. The pair have called for the Global South to unite. Photo: via Reuters

Fifa World Cup 2026

China in World Cup qualifier ‘group of death’ with Japan, Australia, Saudi Arabia

The 18 remaining Asian teams fighting for eight direct qualification spots at 2026 tournament are drawn in three third-round groups of six.

27 Jun 2024 - 10:03PM

India

India’s Modi to visit Russia for first time since Ukraine war

India and Russia share deep economic and political ties, which have remained strong despite sanctions after the 2022 invasion of Ukraine.

26 Jun 2024 - 5:07AMvideocam

Paris 2024 Olympic Games

Olympics blow for Hong Kong fencer Vivian Kong as she forfeits mid-bout in Kuwait

World No 1 épéeist withdraws during Asian Championships quarter-final, disrupting her build-up to the Games.

23 Jun 2024 - 12:41PM

Vivian Kong of Hong Kong (right) in action in Kuwait. Photo: FIE

Belt and Road Initiative

Chinese archaeologists help ‘fill a gap in the history’ of Silk Road empire

Joint project uncovers ‘a significant number’ of artefacts from the Kushan Empire, which sat at the heart of the ancient trade routes.

22 Jun 2024 - 4:39PM

Uzbekistan once lay at the heart of the ancient Silk Road. Photo: Shutterstock

Alibaba

From Alibaba to BYD, Chinese sponsors jostle for attention at Euro 2024

Five of the championship’s 13 sponsors come from China, as these companies look abroad amid slow growth at home.

18 Jun 2024 - 7:00PM

Japan

Ukraine war: is Japan mulling sanctions on ‘dodgy’ Chinese firms?

Japan’s Prime Minister Fumio Kishida said at the G7 summit that Japan continued to mull such sanctions, not just on China but also India, Kazakhstan, the United Arab Emirates and Uzbekistan.

14 Jun 2024 - 7:13PM

Xinjiang

Xinjiang ‘assimilation’: China’s ethnic policy chief slams ignorance of history

Pan Yue says international narrative contradicts facts in its portrayal of Xinjiang culture as separate from Chinese culture.

13 Jun 2024 - 4:03PMvideocam

Xinjiang has a population of about 26 million, close to two-thirds of which is made up of ethnic minorities. Photo: AFP

The Football Association of Hong Kong, China

Hong Kong football chiefs under pressure to preserve Andersen legacy

Hong Kong could have a new boss at the helm for pair of September friendlies as they build towards Asian Cup qualifiers next year.

12 Jun 2024 - 5:30PM

Only the Hong Kong fans who travelled to Turkmenistan were able to watch the match live. Photo: HKFA

The Football Association of Hong Kong, China

Hong Kong make their point after 19-hour trek to World Cup tie in Turkmenistan

Stand-in coach Wolfgang Luisser puts onus on attack in final qualifying match, but team record a defensive landmark in Ashgabat.

12 Jun 2024 - 2:15AM

History

Profile | Historian behind Gwulo.com on documenting Hong Kong’s past, and moving on

David Bellis, founder of Gwulo.com, a digital repository of expat memories, talks about documenting Hong Kong and moving to Wales, ahead of his upcoming farewell talk at the Royal Geographical Society.

11 Jun 2024 - 12:57PM

Help preserve 120 years of quality journalism.

SUPPORT NOW