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Mirziyoyev Fortifies China-Uzbekistan Relations for Economic and Green Transformation

Ahead of his trip to Beijing, in his article for the People's Daily, Uzbekistan’s President Shavkat Mirziyoyev poured lavish praise on China. Not only did Mirziyoyev say he admired Chinese President Xi Jinping's global development, security and civilization initiatives as efforts to significantly address global challenges and accelerate the transition to a more sustainable and inclusive future, he also aligned Tashkent's vision of regional and international security with Beijing. Mirziyoyev has paid several visits to China, underscoring Beijing's growing importance in his economic and development agenda. His objective to strengthen "multifaceted" relations with Beijing further expounds the fact that China will be a centerpiece of his foreign and regional policy and ambition for a green transition. During his October's trip to Beijing to attend the third Belt and Road Forum, Mirziyoyev struck a complimentary tone, expressing gratitude to Xi for the invitation, stressed that the number of Chinese companies investing in Uzbekistan had increased fivefold and said that he expected bilateral trade to exceed $10 billion by the end of 2023. Mirziyoyev’s campaign has worked, given that Chinese enterprises are the second-largest investors in the country, China accounts for more than one-fifth of Uzbekistan’s foreign trade (21.3%) and bilateral trade in 2023 has far exceeded expectations, reaching $14 billion. Once Mirziyoyev signaled that China as one of his top foreign policy priorities, it helped Tashkent sign several agreements with Beijing. In his latest visit, Mirziyoyev called for international unity on the "Green Silk Road," which was first proposed by Xi in Uzbekistan back in 2016, and fully supported the green initiative’s potential to shape the agenda for a “common green future.” Construction of a 400-megawatt solar photovoltaic power plant by PowerChina and Mirziyoyev's meetings with Chinese energy companies in October indicated that he was impressed by their ability to deploy modern engineering solutions in electricity transmission networks and to implement solar, wind and hybrid power projects. Just last month, Mirziyoyev praised his strategic partner for completing projects at an “astonishingly” fast pace, and he continues to hail China's progress on large scale joint investments projects which have helped Tashkent make important strides in developing green energy and their endeavor to create 27 gigawatts of renewable energy generation by 2030. While cooperation with the "undisputed global leader" in renewable energy would solidify Tashkent's energy security and environmental sustainability, the first hydrogen plant in the country and region will also save some 33 million cubic meters of gas every year, decarbonize heavy industries, and add a new engine of growth, raising Uzbekistan’s international profile. The two nations are promoting active cooperation on infrastructure, too. The Chinese-built Angren-Pap railway line, the China-Kyrgyzstan-Uzbekistan transport corridor, and the four routes of the China-Central Asia natural gas pipeline that pass through Uzbekistan denote a region-wide consensus on developing intra- and inter-regional infrastructure to push trade, enhance connectivity, and bring prosperity. Once finalized, the China-Kyrgyzstan-Uzbekistan railway project will give Central Asia the shortest and most accessible passage to global markets, bringing billions of dollars of investments into...

Opinion Head Kazakhstan Featurees

From Steppe to Subcontinent: The Indianisation of the Huns and Śakas from Kazakhstan

The historical connections between Kazakhstan and India span thousands of years, with the migration of Huns and Śakas from Central Asia to India playing a significant role in shaping the history of these two nations. The Huns, first mentioned by Roman historian Tacitus in the late first century A.D., originated near the Caspian Sea, in present-day Kazakhstan. They migrated to India, where they had a profound influence on the local population. Notable among the Huns was Toramana, who, around 500 A.D., launched attacks on India, eventually settling in Malwa in Central India and establishing himself as a powerful ruler. These historical ties are evident in archaeological finds in Kazakhstan, such as the 45 Hun burial mounds discovered near Almaty in the valley of the River Kegen in 2015. Similarly, the Saka people, another group of nomadic Eastern Iranian peoples, left their mark in the region with several burial mounds located near Almaty. The most notable among these was found in 1969, when the Kazakh archaeologist, Kemal Akishev, discovered a teenage Saka prince adorned with almost 4,800 gold items in an Issyk kurgan. Known as the “Golden Man,” the figure was adopted as one of the symbols of modern Kazakhstan, with a likeness standing atop the Independence Monument on the central square of Almaty.[/vc_column_text][vc_single_image image="13850" img_size="full" el_class="scond-image" parallax_scroll="no" woodmart_inline="no"][vc_column_text woodmart_inline="no" text_larger="no"]In India, the influence of the Huns is palpable in places like Gwalior, a metropolis recently designated as a Creative City of Music by the UNESCO Creative Cities Network. The earliest historical record of Gwalior is an inscription by the Hun ruler Mihirakula, the second and last Alchon Hun king of the north-western region of the Indian subcontinent between 502 and 530 CE, referencing his father, Toramana, as a "a ruler of the earth.” Mihirakula was a patron of Shaivism, and his reign left a lasting impact on the Indian landscape. The historical connections between Kazakhstan and India continue to be celebrated today, with India being one of the first countries to recognize Kazakhstan's independence. The two countries actively cooperate under various multilateral fora, including the Conference on Interaction and Confidence Building Measures in Asia (CICA), the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO), and United Nations organizations.[/vc_column_text][vc_single_image image="13849" img_size="full" el_class="scond-image" parallax_scroll="no" woodmart_inline="no"][vc_column_text woodmart_inline="no" text_larger="no"]This historical connectivity is deeply rooted in the migration of two nomadic groups, the Huns and Śakas, from what is now known as Kazakhstan to India. Both these communities, though distinct in their origins - with the Huns being Turanic and the Śakas of Iranian descent - migrated to India, embraced the local culture, and significantly influenced the country's history and development. The first Saka king in India was Maues, also known as Moga, who established Saka dominion in areas covering Gandhara, the Indus Valley, and regions that are part of present-day Afghanistan. The Śakas ruled over vast territories, including the north-west frontier, Punjab, Sindh, Kashmir, western Uttar Pradesh, Saurashtra, Kathiawar, Rajputana, Malwa, and the north Konkan belt of Maharashtra. Saka ruler Nahapana held sway over Kathiawar and neighboring territories,...

Central Asia Opinion Head Kazakhstan Kazakhstan Featurees

Visa-Free Travel from China Could Further Boost Kazakhstan’s Tourism Sector

When China lifted pandemic-era restrictions on travel to Vietnam in March 2023, the Vietnamese welcomed the news as it promised to increase tourism revenues and boost their economy. Prior to COVID restrictions, Vietnam had hosted 5.8 million tourists from China in 2019, and generated income in excess of $5 billion. Despite centuries of conflict, the Chinese and Vietnamese governments embraced the motto, “bury the past, open up the future,” and encouraged their people to be pragmatic and capitalize on the opportunities presented by bilateral economic cooperation. Kazakhstan can likewise build on furthering existing opportunities for economic cooperation with China, such as visa-free travel, which came into effect in November 2023. China, the second largest economy in the world, has a growing middle class that is in search of new travel destinations. Kazakhstan, in turn, possesses many attractive sites that have the potential to become profitable tourism spots. One aspect of this initiative could be the additional hiring and vocational training of tourism personnel, with specific attention given to Chinese tourists. The number of Chinese tourists visiting Kazakhstan has already been growing since the start of last year, and reached 85,000 YTD by November 2023. On average, each Chinese tourist spends $100 a day in Kazakhstan. According to People’s Daily, Chinese tourists are becoming more interested in traveling to countries along the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI), and Kazakhstan is among them. Convenient visa-free travel, geographic proximity, picturesque sites, low travel expenditures, and the availability of flights all make Kazakhstan an attractive destination. Moreover, tourism companies in China now offer tours that include Kazakhstan. Possible fears among the hosting population that tourists could overstay their visas can be alleviated through the implementation of the relevant regulations in the above-mentioned agreement on visa-free travel, which limits tourists’ stay to 30 days, and allows for a 90-day cumulative stay within 180 days. As relationships develop between these two large nations in Asia, the people of Kazakhstan can adopt the pragmatic approach of the Vietnamese with respect to the opportunities arising from increased tourism with China. Aizada Nuriddenova is an Assistant Professor at the Social Sciences Department, SDU University, Kazakhstan and currently is a visiting scholar at the Central Asia Program, George Washington University.

Opinion Head Kazakhstan Opinions Features Kazakhstan Featurees

What the Proposed U.S. Ban on Russian Uranium Imports Could Mean for Kazakhstan

On Monday, 11 December 2023, the U.S. House of Representatives passed a new bill banning imports of Russian uranium. While the bill would need to pass the U.S. Senate and be signed off by President Joe Biden in order to become law, this first step towards legality raises questions about the future of nuclear energy in the U.S., and which country could provide the resources necessary to facilitate it going forwards. This bill represents a significant opportunity for Kazakhstan, the world’s largest producer of uranium, which could potentially step into the breach and provide the mineral necessary to meet the U.S.' nuclear energy needs. If successfully made into law, the bill entitled the “Prohibiting Russian Uranium Imports Act” will see a complete ban on unirradiated low-enriched uranium (the type used to make nuclear fuel) that is produced in Russia, and annual caps on the amount of low-enriched uranium that can still be imported from the country until 2027. Waivers have been built into the wording of the legislation to allow the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) to work around the ban if no feasible alternative is found to sustain the functioning of a nuclear reactor or nuclear company. However, the bill also guides the DOE to submit a report outlining the alternatives to Russian-produced uranium, which could be utilized over the next five years. One country sure to be on their radar is Kazakhstan. A former powerhouse of the Soviet Union’s nuclear weapons testing program, Kazakhstan was left with significant infrastructure for uranium mining after the collapse of the bloc in 1991. Its nuclear production is currently monopolized by one company, Kazatomprom, which has emerged as a global leader in the field. Although the U.S. mines its own uranium, it does not produce enough to meet its domestic demands for nuclear power, which in the year 2022 was over 20,100 metric tonnes in total. That year, the U.S. produced 75 metric tonnes of uranium ore from its own mines. By comparison, Kazakhstan produced 21,227 metric tonnes in the same time period. Mukhtar Dzhakishev, the former head of Kazatomprom, has spoken about the necessity of increasing the volume of production in Kazakhstan if it were to be a viable candidate for replacing Russia’s supply to the U.S. Greater resources would need to be directed towards mining if the country were to increase its annual uranium yield to make up for the lost volume of Russian uranium. If the U.S. were to seek a trade agreement with Kazakhstan to bolster its nuclear power supplies, it would indicate an alignment with the European Union, which recently expressed a desire to conduct increased trade with countries in Central Asia. Given that the largest exports from Central Asian countries to Europe are of natural resources such as oil, gas and metals, it is safe to assume that energy will be one of the key goals in any trade deals the EU tries to negotiate. These announcements have arisen in the wake of Russia’s war in...

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Kazakhstan’s Foreign Policy: A New Year’s Outlook Under President Tokayev

When Kassym-Jomart Tokayev became the President of Kazakhstan in 2019, he brought to the role a wealth of experience from his long diplomatic career. Amongst many responsibilities, this experience included high-level government positions such as the post of deputy foreign minister and prime minister. Navigating geopolitical challenges since 2019 Tokayev has had a high global profile, including serving as director-general of the United Nations Office in Geneva. It was therefore expected that his internationally recognised acumen would play a foundational role in defining Kazakhstan's path through the complex, and sometimes chaotically evolving, geopolitics in Central Asia and beyond. Tokayev became president at a time when Kazakhstan faced both internal and external challenges. Domestic political and administrative reforms could not wait. The country’s strategically important natural resources, such as uranium and oil, as well as its keystone geographic position at the heart of Central Asia with a long border on the Caspian Sea attracted the attention of the international community. Situated between Russia and China, Kazakhstan required a balanced and nuanced foreign policy to respond to growing interest from the European Union (EU) and the United States. Since assuming the presidency in 2019, Tokayev has enhanced the country's geo-economic context as a shaper of transit corridors. Most notable of these is the Trans-Caspian International Trade Route (TITR), which puts Kazakhstan at the centre of pivotal geopolitical dynamics as a bridge between Europe and Asia. Strengthening bilateral and multilateral partnerships The EU, recognising Kazakhstan’s importance, has deepened its engagement with the country through an Enhanced Partnership and Cooperation Agreement that entered into force in 2020. Deeper ties between Astana and Brussels, and the EU's interest in Kazakhstan, go far beyond hydrocarbon energy resources to embrace cooperation in green technologies, digital transformation and sustainable development. At the same time, Tokayev's tenure has seen Kazakhstan navigate its relationships with international superpowers amidst significant "black-swan" events like the COVID-19 pandemic and the worsening of Russia's conflict with Ukraine. His administration has skilfully maintained good ties with Russia while also adhering to international sanctions. Such an approach showcases Kazakhstan's commitment to global norms, multilateralism and international cooperation, combined with its commitment to an independent foreign policy based on national interests. Under President Tokayev's leadership, Kazakhstan has enhanced its diplomatic engagement by emphasising its strategic role in both regional and global geopolitics. His tenure has been marked by a continuing series of high-profile meetings and participation in key summits. Kazakhstan has also made crucial contributions to regional organisations, such as the Organisation of Turkic States (OTS) and the Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS). The country's involvement in these organisations underlines its commitment to regional cooperation and integration. Particularly in the OTS, Kazakhstan has emerged as a leader, facilitating discussions and promoting initiatives that align with its broader foreign policy goals. Top-level international meetings (with figures such as U.S. President Joe Biden, Russian President Vladimir Putin, Chinese Communist Party Chief Xi Jinping, UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres and French President Emmanuel Macron) underscore Kazakhstan's central strategic importance in global...

Opinion Head Uzbekistan Opinions Tajikistan Opinions Turkmenistan Opinions Opinions Kyrgyzstan Opinions Kazakhstan Opinions

Islamic Extremism in Central Asia: A Threat to Liberal Progress

Afghanistan earned its reputation as the “graveyard of empires” due to the significant toll exacted on foreign powers in their efforts to achieve military success in the country. This challenge was evident in the experiences of the British Empire, the Soviet Union, and, most recently, the United States. The persistent and decentralized nature of the country's tribal insurgency made achieving a definitive victory a formidable task. Furthermore, the adherence of groups harbored by the Taliban, such as Al Qaeda, to an extremist religious ideology spread terrorism globally, including in the 9/11 attacks as well as other deadly acts of violence in various parts of the world. While the United States arguably played a constructive role in modernizing Afghanistan, the establishment of democracy and Western values in the country proved to be an insurmountable challenge, even with over $100 billion in foreign aid. With heightened tensions between the Islamic and Western populations reignited in the Levant after the deadly Hamas attack on Israel on 7 October 2023, the threat of Afghanistan-based extremists redirecting their focus towards the West has intensified. Often overlooked is the fact that Salafists jihadists and other radical groups also pose a challenge to the emerging democracies in Central Asia as these Muslim-majority secular republics are seen as areas to spread their undemocratic and potentially violent influence. In this context, policies that may even inadvertently help promote illiberal religious movements threaten the region’s secular identity and the security of its peoples. We should assess Central Asia’s unique position on religious freedoms but also on jihadist threats For the large part, Western countries come from a privileged position of being able to resist the widespread influence from Islamic extremist movements at home thanks mainly to generations of democratic institution building as well as decent geographic distance to areas that would fall under pan-jihadist aspirations. Consider that there is no apparent threat of jihadists entirely displacing Western democratic institutions or imposing a pan-Islamist state encompassing parts of Western nations; most Western lands do not fall on areas some of these groups want to conquer to create an Islamic Caliphate. On the other hand, many other places, including Central Asia, still risk misconstruing the line between defending individual freedoms and combatting religious extremism. Here, the coexistence of extremist Islamic ideologies and democracy remains somewhat precarious. Islamic radicalism continues to pose a serious challenge to the emerging democracies of the region, where the secular republics are trying to keep a lid on certain hostile ideologies. Militant groups spilling over from Afghanistan and infiltrating post-Soviet countries want to spread jihad to the region and create an Islamic Khaganate stretching from Egypt to China. Pan-Islamist Salafists, such as Islamic State-Khorasan Province (ISKP) and Al Qaeda, have a clear goal to overthrow Central Asia’s secular regimes. Moreover, the determination of Salafists jihadists and other groups to spread their illiberal and violent struggle to Central Asia (including from neighboring Afghanistan) has become apparent through their growing presence in the region’s schools and other spheres of public...