More from Kazakhstan … 

The Chinese electrical appliance manufacturer Midea Group has opened a representative office in Almaty with plans to develop a local operations team and a warehouse complex, as well as build a logistics hub to serve markets throughout Central Asia, reports Forbes.kz. Until recently, Midea operated in Central Asia via a distribution network of third-party local companies.

The China–Kazakhstan Trade and Economic Cooperation Forum took place in Astana. Participating officials announced the opening of the Jiangsu Province Center for Central Asia, which will serve as a unified service hub for Chinese companies, according to Kapital.kz, citing the press service of the Ministry of Trade and Integration. The parties also agreed to diversify Kazakhstani exports, with plans to increase shipments of wheat, meat, and honey to Jiangsu.

Kyrgyzstan

China’s Nerin Engineering Co., Ltd. was selected as the chief contractor to develop production facilities for the Togolok gold deposit, according to the Kumtor Gold Company. The project entails the construction of a gold processing plant, a tailings storage facility, a camp for rotational workers and other essential infrastructure.

The Kyrgyz National Investment Fund and the Chinese company Shenzhen Wuyou Technology Co., Ltd. signed a variety of deals, including one to create a modern electric scooter fleet and another to install a network of charging stations in Kyrgyzstan, according to Open.kg.

China sent a high-profile delegation of writers on a cultural visit to the Kyrgyz capital, Bishkek. Among the Chinese participants were Mo Yan, the only Chinese citizen to be awarded the Nobel Prize in literature, and Zhang Hongsen, the head of the China Writers’ Association (CWA), according to Open.kg. The visit included a meeting with the leadership of Kyrgyzstan’s National Union of Writers (NUW). That meeting yielded a cooperation agreement between the two associations outlining an intent to undertake joint projects, the translation of works and mutual visits by writers.

Tajikistan

Dangara State University, located in Tajikistan’s Khatlon Region, has signed an agreement with the International Foundation for Chinese Language Studies and Shenyang Normal University to establish a Confucius Institute on the Dangara campus, according to a report published by the official Tajik news agency Khovar.

Turkmenistan

The Chinese ambassador to Ashgabat met Turkmen MPs for discussions on organizing Chinese-led seminars for parliamentarians from across Central Asia. The aim of the seminars is to strengthen mutual cooperation on legislative activities.

Uzbekistan

A Chinese company, Zhongjin Guantai Industrial Development Co., Ltd., wants to invest $2 billion in Uzbekistan’s mining sector, $1 billion in cutting-edge energy projects, and $300-500 million in infrastructure and tourism development, reports Dunyo, the Uzbek Foreign Ministry’s official mass media outlet. 

Uzbekistan’s state uranium producer, Navoiyuran, and China’s State Nuclear Uranium Resources Development Co., Ltd. agreed to set up a working group to develop joint projects covering geological exploration and mining, including unconventional uranium deposits, reports UZDaily.

Uzbekistan’s Agency for Expansion of Forests and Green Zones and Fighting Desertification signed two agreements with Chinese entities. The first deal involves the PRC’s Ningxia Hui Autonomous Region, experts from which will help their Uzbek counterparts to create protective forest belts and develop sustainable forestry and green industries; the second agreement involves a Chinese company, Yinchuan Wolsenn Modern Irrigation Co., Ltd., which will supply water-saving irrigation technologies to Uzbekistan and organize regular trainings for local specialists.

An MoU to expand production of components of home appliances and to implement joint initiatives for developing “Physical AI” technologies was signed by Uzeltekhsanoat Association and China’s Electronics Enterprises Association.

A roundtable in Tashkent organized by Uzbekistan’s Cabinet of Ministers and Ministry of Agriculture for a visiting delegation comprising representatives of China’s “government entities, financial institutions and leading companies” resulted in signing several agreements focusing on expanding investment in the agricultural sector, reports UZ Daily. Uzbek official did not provide details about the agreements.