Events and opinions

Do Central Asian leaders use ISIL threats for political gain?

asia1Analysts say opposition is purged in Tajikistan, Uzbekistan and Kazakhstan whenever there is a perceived threat.

Xi Jinping’s Path for China

XI JINPINGSince assuming power, Chinese President Xi Jinping has taken many steps to reshape his country, de-emphasizing growth to build a more sustainable economy and engaging in more proactive diplomacy. He has also been rewriting political rules to establish himself as a strongman.

New evidence emerges of China forcing Muslims into ‘reeducation’ camps

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First-of-its-kind courtroom testimony here has corroborated allegations that the Chinese government has built a network of internment camps in western China where Muslim minorities are held without charge for “reeducation.”

China’s Policies Spur Central Asians To Cautiously Chart Independent Course – Analysis

XinjiangChina’s brutal crackdown in its north-western province of Xinjiang and growing questions about the dark side of some of its Belt and Road investments is fuelling anti-Chinese sentiment, prompting some countries to explore ways to chart an independent course, and feeding into the narratives of rising populist leaders.

They Won’t Back Down: Kazakhstan’s Feisty Newspaper

lukpanThree years after recovering from an attempt on his life, journalist Lukpan Akhmedyarov ditched his day job and began running a business.

Chinese 'reeducation camps' in spotlight at Kazakh trial

sudkzkhSecretive "re-education camps" allegedly holding hundreds of thousands of people in a Muslim-majority region in western China are the focus of an explosive court case in Kazakhstan, testing the country's ties with Beijing.

Revival of Pan-Turkism in Kazakhstan Threatens Pillars of Eurasian Union

magzhanzhumabThe term “pan-Turkism,” which carried a similarly ominous meaning as “enemy of the people” under Joseph Stalin and his Soviet successors, has become a strong component of Kazakhs’ search for national identity ever since their country achieved independence more than a quarter of a century ago.

Surveillance fears cloud China's 'Digital Silk Road'

gorlightsA major element of China's continent-spanning Belt and Road Initiative has nothing to do with roads, ports or power plants. Rather, the "Digital Silk Road" aims to construct communications networks across the developing world.

U.S. Bribery Enforcement Gained Steam in Quarter

usdepartmentAfter a slow start to 2018, Foreign Corrupt Practices Act enforcement activity increased in the second quarter, raising the potential for a banner year in FCPA-related penalties collected.

Xinjiang: Pan-Turkism Fuels China’s Hearts-And-Minds Campaign – Analysis

mosqueinzinjiangChinese efforts to woo Saudi Arabia’s ethnic Chinese community highlight the People’s Republic’s effort to avert criticism from the Muslim world of its crackdown in the north-western province of Xinjiang and strengthen relations with the kingdom and Middle Eastern nations.

Russians Flock to EU Court in Long-Shot Bids to Topple Sanctions

Russians Flock to EU Court in Long-Shot Bids to Topple Sanctions

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Dictators’ funds in Switzerland – the biggest scandals

Dictators’ funds in Switzerland – the biggest scandals

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The Russia-Ukraine Conflict: Implications for Kazakhstan’s Energy Sector

The Russia-Ukraine Conflict: Implications for Kazakhstan’s Energy Sector

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