Central Asia

Central Asia’s Taliban thaw
Central Asia’s Taliban thaw
A gradual shift has taken place among Central Asian governments in their approach to Afghanistan. While initial responses to the Taliban’s return to power in 2021 were marked by…
Central Asia: An emerging battlefield for strategic minerals
Central Asia: An emerging battlefield for strategic minerals
The world is becoming increasingly hungry for rare earth elements (REEs) and rare metals (RMs). Of particular importance are uranium, lithium, tantalum, and a range of other…
Central Asia's energy drive spurs regional integration
Central Asia's energy drive spurs regional integration
For decades, Russia, China, and the West have been vying for influence in Central Asia. But in spite of their ambitions to bolster their presence in this strategically important…
The global evolution of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation
The global evolution of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation
The annual meetings of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) – the political, economic, security and defence organisation established by China and Russia in 2001 – have long…
The Kyrgyzstan route facilitating Russia’s invasion of Ukraine
The Kyrgyzstan route facilitating Russia’s invasion of Ukraine
Kyrgyzstan’s trade figures defy economic logic, suggesting that a vast amount of its imports are bound for a third country – namely, Russia. Kyrgyzstan’s trans-shipment to Russia…
How Central Asia became a key region for the West
How Central Asia became a key region for the West
The global significance of Central Asia has been steadily growing. The past year, marked by the tumultuous war in Ukraine and the ensuing confrontation between Russia and the West…
Beijing digs in for the Central Asia-China gas pipeline
Beijing digs in for the Central Asia-China gas pipeline
China’s ongoing pursuit of a cross-border pipeline with Turkmenistan in Central Asia has repercussions for both the region and Australia. In October, China’s President Xi…
Beijing’s interest in the Middle Corridor
Beijing’s interest in the Middle Corridor
Reports of Georgian Prime Minister Irakli Garibashvili’s recent visit to China and his meeting with President Xi Jinping suggest that Beijing remains interested in the…
Putin steps abroad, even as an international warrant hangs over his head
Putin steps abroad, even as an international warrant hangs over his head
Over the years, Russia has sought to preserve its sphere of influence with most former Soviet republics using the instrument of the Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS). But…
Why China tripled its heavy truck shipments to Central Asia: Unravelling the influence of Russia’s war in Ukraine
Why China tripled its heavy truck shipments to Central Asia: Unravelling the influence of Russia’s war in Ukraine
Trade data shows Central Asia’s imports from China are up sharply, as the region is progressively integrated into a Beijing-Moscow economic axis. Central Asia is increasingly a…