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Central Asia
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Central Asia

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Central Asia
Central Asia
News from Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan and Afghanistan.
Hong Kong’s leader John Lee (centre, pointing) views a scale model at Nazarbayev University in Astana, Kazakhstan, in early June. Photo: Handout
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.

US, Israel war on Iran

Opinion | Iran war is no longer a contest over just the Strait of Hormuz

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Hong Kong society

Filipino workers in Hong Kong allegedly recruited as surrogates for overseas couples

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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.

(From left) Jeanne Lim, founder and CEO of beingAI; Hendrick Sin, president of the Hong Kong Internet Professional Association; and Zhang Xiaoyan, vice-president of the China Centre for Information Industry Development, at South China Morning Post’s China Conference on July 7. Photo: Jonathan Wong
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.

Diplomacy

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.

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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.

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The new route comes as China continues to expand its overland trade network across Central Asia and beyond. Photo: Handout
Asia travel

It’s finally opening up but is the ‘world’s weirdest country’ worth the trip?

After decades of isolation, Turkmenistan is easing visa barriers and courting visitors to Ashgabat, the ruins of Nisa and the Darvaza crater.

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.

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Hong Kong economy

Hong Kong is betting on integration with mainland China but what are the risks?

Integration offers strategic gains amid geopolitical tensions with West, but Hong Kong must retain unique qualities for businesses to thrive, executives say.

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Illustration: Henry Wong
China exports

‘Too many uncertainties’: why China’s exporters remain wary despite US-Iran deal

Traders and logistics companies fear disrupted supply chains and doubts about the agreement’s durability will continue to weigh on business decisions.

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A cargo ship remains anchored on May 16 in the Strait of Hormuz near Larak Island, Iran. Photo: Getty Images
Science

Drowning desert: how Xinjiang’s infrastructure could fail under record rain

Unprecedented downpours prompt warning that links and systems adapted to an arid past may struggle to cope with a wetter future.

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Science

Study shows 4,000-year battle of Eastern and Western genes in China’s heartland

Wars and trade saw human genes from East and West fuse as over a million Han dynasty immigrants moved to Ningxia, genomics research reveals.

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Malaysia

Malaysia’s nationwide diesel subsidy gets citizens all pumped up

Diesel is currently US$1.05 per litre in Peninsular Malaysia, compared to a subsidised price of 50 US cents in Sabah and Sarawak.

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A diesel pump in a Petronas station in the Malaysian state of Perak. Photo: Ivy Ong
Hong Kong economy

Hong Kong to roll out measures boosting offshore yuan trading in July

Government wants more listed firms trading stocks in renminbi and will use city’s hub status to help mainland Chinese firms expand overseas.

Hong Kong overtook Switzerland as the world’s largest cross-border wealth hub last year, with assets of US$2.95 trillion, according to a report by the Boston Consulting Group. Photo: May Tse
Electric & new energy vehicles

Chinese EV makers debut right-hand drive models for Southeast Asian push

Chinese brands, including BYD, Jaecoo and Wuling Motors, captured 17.6 per cent of Indonesia’s car market in the first quarter of 2026.

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.

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Afghanistan

Afghan government workers face sack, jail after smartphone ban begins

Employees will be available only ‘via telephone calls and email’, an official says, citing an order from the supreme leader.

A man uses smartphones in Kabul on Tuesday. Photo: EPA
Diplomacy

Opinion | How Asia can benefit from a Russia-India-China dialogue revival

Far from acting as another bloc, such a grouping could help ensure that regional competition is managed rather than reproduced.

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Hong Kong economy

Publisher's Pen | Hong Kong’s media must go global amid tech disruption, economic uncertainty

Deals signed during city leader’s Central Asian trip have opened new doors for industry, but it’s up to companies to boldly step through them.

Hong Kong economy

HKEX, Kazakhstan’s AIFC explore dual listings with miners after landmark debut

Head of Astana’s special financial zone says deals signed with Hong Kong during John Lee’s visit mark ‘important milestone’ for cooperation.

The Astana International Financial Centre is a special zine in Kazakhstan that uses common lew. Photo: AIFC
John Lee

Exclusive | ‘Not giving up on any market’: John Lee on his push for Hong Kong’s interests

Traditional markets such as US and Europe matter just as much even as city seeks new partners, Hong Kong leader says.

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City leader John Lee says the complex geopolitical situation will only highlight Hong Kong’s clear edge as a “safe, stable and secure society” for investors. Photo: Dickson Lee
Diplomacy

Outside In | Central Asia is finally coming into its own

The region’s five countries, inadvertent beneficiaries of Chinese infrastructure investment, then wars and tariffs elsewhere, are finding their feet.

Banking & finance

Open Questions | AIIB chief Zou Jiayi on financing Asia’s green transition

President of the Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank on how it bridges differences to build a more sustainable, climate-resilient world.

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Hong Kong economy

Kazakhstan bank turns to Hong Kong as gateway to offshore renminbi finance

Chinese-backed Altyn Bank says Kazakh investors are turning to Hong Kong dim sum bonds to raise long-term capital for regional infrastructure.

Hong Kong is the world’s largest offshore renminbi liquidity hub. Photo: Photo: AFP
Yuan

‘Increasingly influential’ use of China’s currency puts euro on notice

The US dollar is still dominant, but a slump in Europe may see China’s currency gain strength and reach the No 2 spot in global settlements.

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Illustration: Brian Wang
China airliners

Air China C909 hits bird as Chinese jets face growing ‘real-world’ tests

Wildlife strike in Beijing caught on video near popular vantage point, illustrating how rising flight volumes expose Comac’s fleet of jets to more operational risks.

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Hong Kong economy

Opinion | Hong Kong unleashes new growth engine through landmark Central Asia mission

The deals signed during the chief executive’s trip to Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan underscore the potential economic synergy that can be unleashed.

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