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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

Chef-nun Jeong Kwan at the Bukhara Biennale, in Uzbekistan, as part of a kimchi-fermentation collaboration with the Koryo-saram community. Photo: courtesy Andrey Arekelyan and Uzbekistan Art and Culture Development Foundation (ACDF)

Art

Bukhara Biennial spearheads cultural blossoming of the city as well as the wider Uzbekistan

With site-specific artwork displayed in restored or adapted historical structures, the inaugural Bukhara Biennial heralded the development of a cultural district designed for residents and visitors alike.

22 Sep 2026 - 8:00AM

Art

Can Uzbekistan rival Dubai as the next global art hub?

23 Sep 2026 - 11:42AM

Ukraine war

Ukraine says ready for ‘de-escalatory steps’ if Russia does same

15 Sep 2026 - 11:14AM

China technology

Opinion | China’s J-10CE has foreign buyers, but not yet a market

In service in Pakistan and Uzbekistan and on Bangladesh’s radar, the fighter jet is not yet a threat to Western market dominance.

14 Sep 2026 - 8:30PMvideocam

A model of a J-10C fighter jet displayed at the 55th Paris Air Show in Le Bourget Airport in Paris, France, on June 18, 2025. Photo: NurPhoto via Getty Images

Editor's Letter

This week in PostMag: a guqin revival, odes to Central Asia and a peek into Puyi’s last days as emperor

How Hong Kong connoisseurs are reviving China’s ancient seven-string zither, a look around the Bukhara Biennial, a trip to a Kazakhstan horse museum and the last months of imperial rule at the Forbidden City.

13 Sep 2026 - 6:00AM

China's military weapons

From Pakistan to Uzbekistan: how China’s J-10CE is widening its overseas reach

Fighter jet is becoming an appealing option for a growing number of foreign operators, potentially providing insight into its performance.

11 Sep 2026 - 5:00PM

Hong Kong economy

Hong Kong, Kazakhstan sign MOU on transport lab, discuss low-altitude economy

Kazakh vice-minister Bakhtiyar Mukhametkaliyev says his country envisions connecting mainland tech companies with Hong Kong financial tools.

9 Sep 2026 - 6:01PM

Bakhtiyar Mukhametkaliyev, Kazakhstan’s vice-minister of artificial intelligence and digital development, says he has discussed the low-altitude economy with Hong Kong counterparts. Photo: Karma Lo

Hong Kong economy

Editorial | For Hong Kong and Central Asia, the real work lies ahead

Building on the success of Chief Executive John Lee’s June trip, both sides must now build a durable commercial architecture.

9 Sep 2026 - 7:15AM

Belt and Road 2026

Bypassing Russia: inside China’s most audacious railway project in Central Asia

The challenging Belt and Road Initiative project offers a vital Middle Corridor route – linking China to Europe while bypassing Russia.

9 Sep 2026 - 6:00AM

Central Asia

China rallies Central Asian police chiefs on terrorism threats, energy and trade

Security ministers from five nations back Beijing initiative targeting extremism, border order and telecoms fraud.

8 Sep 2026 - 4:20PMvideocam

Chinese Minister of Public Security Wang Xiaohong (third from right) attends the China-Central Asia ministerial conference on public security and internal affairs in Beijing on Monday. Photo: Xinhua

Education in Hong Kong

Hong Kong emerges as leading Asian study destination for Kazakhstani students

Hong Kong universities attracting growing number of students from Central Asian country, with enrolment up by 408 per cent in eight years.

8 Sep 2026 - 6:33PM

CityU students Islam Seitzhanov (left) and Assem Kanabek. Photo: Edmond So

Hong Kong economy

How can Hong Kong, Central Asia build momentum on growing ties, go beyond MOUs?

Tourism, professional services, mining and digital infrastructure prospects discussed at SCMP’s China Conference: Central Asia 2026.

8 Sep 2026 - 2:54AM

Education in Hong Kong

SCMP partners with top Kazakh university to deepen Hong Kong’s Central Asia ties

Memorandum of understanding with Nazarbayev University signed ahead of SCMP’s China Conference: Central Asia 2026 in Astana.

7 Sep 2026 - 5:52PM

Belt and Road Initiative

China marks major tunnel milestone for Central Asia railway bypassing Russia

Conceived in 1997, the 500km China-Kyrgyzstan-Uzbekistan railway will offer the shortest land route from China to the Middle East and Europe.

7 Sep 2026 - 8:00AM

Kyrgyzstan’s President Sadyr Japarov (right) welcomes Chinese President Xi Jinping to the capital Bishkek on August 30. Photo: AFP

Belt and Road Initiative

Opinion | 3 key belt and road connectivities that Hong Kong drives

Hong Kong’s Belt and Road Office is focusing on strengthening links related to infrastructure, rules and standards, and people-to-people connections.

3 Sep 2026 - 5:30AM

Visitors take pictures with 2-metre-tall promoters at Kazakhstan booth at Hong Kong’s International Travel Expo on June 11. The Belt and Road Office has concluded memorandums with key institutions in Central Asian countries like Kazakhstan, laying solid groundwork for collaboration. Photo: Nora Tam

SCO

SCO takes landmark stand on nuclear security as Iran comes under renewed attack

The bloc underscores members’ rights to peaceful nuclear development in broader pushback at Western powers, analyst says.

3 Sep 2026 - 10:09AMvideocam

Singapore

Can Singapore be the ‘natural choice’ to bridge Asean and Central Asia?

Senior Minister Lee Hsien Loong says Singapore aims to explore ways to boost cooperation between both regions in various sectors.

3 Sep 2026 - 2:36AM

Central Asia

In Bishkek, US envoys shadow SCO summit in challenge on Beijing and Moscow’s turf

Central Asian countries in focus as Washington pursues outreach serving to blunt Chinese influence in strategically valuable region.

2 Sep 2026 - 9:00PMvideocam

Sergio Gor, the US special envoy for South and Central Asia (left), and Kyrgyz President Sadyr Zhaparov shake hands for their meeting in Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan, on Monday. Photo: Kyrgyzstan Presidential Press Office via AP

Belt and Road Initiative

How China’s rail diplomacy could shield regional supply chains from shocks

China’s Kyrgyzstan rail pledge highlights wider drive to knit Asia together and strengthen trade links.

1 Sep 2026 - 5:00PM

India

‘Aloof’ but engaged: what India’s SCO comeback reveals

New Delhi’s re-engagement with the China-led bloc serves as a reminder to the US that it has other options, analysts say.

1 Sep 2026 - 3:19PM

China's military weapons

Uzbekistan confirmed as second foreign operator of China’s J-10CE fighter

Uzbekistan’s defence ministry released official footage of the fighters on Sunday, which was also broadcast on state television.

31 Aug 2026 - 8:14PMvideocam

Video image of the J-10C’s official arrival is shown on Uzbekistan TV on Saturday as part of its independence day celebrations. Photo: Handout

US-China relations

Uzbekistan tests US-China AI rift with bid to join rival tech bloc

Tashkent eyes Pax Silica entry as Central Asian nations resist growing pressure to choose between Washington and Beijing in the AI race.

8 Sep 2026 - 2:19AMvideocam

US Undersecretary of State Jacob Helberg (left) convenes the inaugural Pax Silica Summit in Washington on December 12, 2025. Photo: Getty Images for Undersecretary of State for Economic Affairs Jacob Helberg

Mainland China

Jim Rogers eyes up China’s yuan as he warns of a US market crash

Legendary investor lauds the yuan but says his cash holdings are still in US dollars because the Chinese currency lacks full convertibility.

16 Aug 2026 - 6:04PM

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.

17 Aug 2026 - 9:44AM

SCO

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

As the SCO marks its 25th anniversary, internal rifts as well as limited financial integration and security cooperation are holding it back.

11 Aug 2026 - 10:29AMvideocam

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

Zhao Xin owns of a 113-hectare cotton field in Shihezi, Xinjiang. Photo: Edith Lin

Science

Long before the Silk Road, silkworm cocoons already existed in Uzbekistan

Some 4,000 years ago, ancient people brought the production technique for the precious luxury from China to Central Asia via India.

25 Jul 2026 - 10:00AM

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

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Uzbekistan

Bukhara Biennial spearheads cultural blossoming of the city as well as the wider Uzbekistan

With site-specific artwork displayed in restored or adapted historical structures, the inaugural Bukhara Biennial heralded the development of a cultural district designed for residents and visitors alike.

Can Uzbekistan rival Dubai as the next global art hub?

Ukraine says ready for ‘de-escalatory steps’ if Russia does same

.css-1pcrwvc{color:#2aa191;}Opinion | China’s J-10CE has foreign buyers, but not yet a market

In service in Pakistan and Uzbekistan and on Bangladesh’s radar, the fighter jet is not yet a threat to Western market dominance.

This week in PostMag: a guqin revival, odes to Central Asia and a peek into Puyi’s last days as emperor

How Hong Kong connoisseurs are reviving China’s ancient seven-string zither, a look around the Bukhara Biennial, a trip to a Kazakhstan horse museum and the last months of imperial rule at the Forbidden City.

From Pakistan to Uzbekistan: how China’s J-10CE is widening its overseas reach

Fighter jet is becoming an appealing option for a growing number of foreign operators, potentially providing insight into its performance.

Hong Kong, Kazakhstan sign MOU on transport lab, discuss low-altitude economy

Kazakh vice-minister Bakhtiyar Mukhametkaliyev says his country envisions connecting mainland tech companies with Hong Kong financial tools.

Editorial | For Hong Kong and Central Asia, the real work lies ahead

Building on the success of Chief Executive John Lee’s June trip, both sides must now build a durable commercial architecture.

Bypassing Russia: inside China’s most audacious railway project in Central Asia

The challenging Belt and Road Initiative project offers a vital Middle Corridor route – linking China to Europe while bypassing Russia.

China rallies Central Asian police chiefs on terrorism threats, energy and trade

Security ministers from five nations back Beijing initiative targeting extremism, border order and telecoms fraud.

Hong Kong emerges as leading Asian study destination for Kazakhstani students

Hong Kong universities attracting growing number of students from Central Asian country, with enrolment up by 408 per cent in eight years.

How can Hong Kong, Central Asia build momentum on growing ties, go beyond MOUs?

Tourism, professional services, mining and digital infrastructure prospects discussed at SCMP’s China Conference: Central Asia 2026.

SCMP partners with top Kazakh university to deepen Hong Kong’s Central Asia ties

Memorandum of understanding with Nazarbayev University signed ahead of SCMP’s China Conference: Central Asia 2026 in Astana.

China marks major tunnel milestone for Central Asia railway bypassing Russia

Conceived in 1997, the 500km China-Kyrgyzstan-Uzbekistan railway will offer the shortest land route from China to the Middle East and Europe.

Opinion | 3 key belt and road connectivities that Hong Kong drives

Hong Kong’s Belt and Road Office is focusing on strengthening links related to infrastructure, rules and standards, and people-to-people connections.

SCO takes landmark stand on nuclear security as Iran comes under renewed attack

The bloc underscores members’ rights to peaceful nuclear development in broader pushback at Western powers, analyst says.

Can Singapore be the ‘natural choice’ to bridge Asean and Central Asia?

Senior Minister Lee Hsien Loong says Singapore aims to explore ways to boost cooperation between both regions in various sectors.

In Bishkek, US envoys shadow SCO summit in challenge on Beijing and Moscow’s turf

Central Asian countries in focus as Washington pursues outreach serving to blunt Chinese influence in strategically valuable region.

How China’s rail diplomacy could shield regional supply chains from shocks

China’s Kyrgyzstan rail pledge highlights wider drive to knit Asia together and strengthen trade links.

‘Aloof’ but engaged: what India’s SCO comeback reveals

New Delhi’s re-engagement with the China-led bloc serves as a reminder to the US that it has other options, analysts say.

Uzbekistan confirmed as second foreign operator of China’s J-10CE fighter

Uzbekistan’s defence ministry released official footage of the fighters on Sunday, which was also broadcast on state television.

Uzbekistan tests US-China AI rift with bid to join rival tech bloc

Tashkent eyes Pax Silica entry as Central Asian nations resist growing pressure to choose between Washington and Beijing in the AI race.

Jim Rogers eyes up China’s yuan as he warns of a US market crash

Legendary investor lauds the yuan but says his cash holdings are still in US dollars because the Chinese currency lacks full convertibility.

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.

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

As the SCO marks its 25th anniversary, internal rifts as well as limited financial integration and security cooperation are holding it back.

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.

Long before the Silk Road, silkworm cocoons already existed in Uzbekistan

Some 4,000 years ago, ancient people brought the production technique for the precious luxury from China to Central Asia via India.

.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.

Opinion | China’s J-10CE has foreign buyers, but not yet a market

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